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THE 



MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY, 

DEDUCED FROM THE 

OLD CHARGES OF A FREEMASON: 

.. y , B* 

SAMUEL LAWKENCE, D.G.M., 

KDITOB OP "THE MASONIC 6IGNET AND JOTTBNAX," ETC. 
TO WHICH IS ADDED 

THE VISION OF ACHMED; 

BY THE SAME AUTHOR. 

"It is not sufficient that we know these obligations, but it is our indispensable 
duty, both as gentlemen and as Freemasons, to practise them." — Dalcho. 

" Brethren, we read in vain, we go through the forms of initiation in vain, if we 
fail to apply the great moral principles of our Order to our walk in life. In vain we 
preserve the Ancient Landmarks of the Craft, if we make no effort to live up to their 
teachings. ' ' — Mitchell. 



ATLANTA, GEORGIA: 

PUBLISHED AT THE " SIGNET AND JOURNAL" OFFICE. 



NEW YORK: 

MACOY, SICKELS & CO., 430 BROOME STREET. 

1860. 
Q 







Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, by 

SAMUEL LAWRENCE, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. 



TO 

THE R. W. GEORGE L. BARRY, 

DEPUTY GRAND MASTER, 

TIII8 

SMALL CONTRIBUTION TO THE SCIENCE OF FREEMASONRY, 
BELOVED ALIKE OF BOTH, 



iFrctternallfl Inscribe 



THE AtTTHO 



(6) 



CONTENTS. 



Introduction, . 9 

LECTUKE I. 
Of God and Religion, . . * 17 

LECTURE II. 



Or the Civil Magistrate, Supreme and Subordinate, . 45 



LECTURE III. 
Of Lodges, . 71 

LECTURE IT. • 

Of Masters, Wardens, Fellows and Apprentices, . . 105 

LECTURE V. 

Of the Management of the Craft in Working, . . 137 

(vi'O 



VIU CONTENTS. 

LECTURE VI. 
Of Behavior, 165 

THE VISION OF ACHMED. 

Preface, 209 

The Vision of Achmed, 213 



INTRODUCTION, 



The day has passed when a mere acquaintance, however 
perfect, with the ritual lectures of Freemasonry is all that is 
necessary to secure to the craftsman the honorable appella- 
tion of a " bright Mason." Something more is needed now 
to confer that distinction ; for an honorable distinction it is 
yet. Nor should we, in our surprise at the ignorance or 
supineness of our forefathers, which allowed them hastily to 
bestow such honor on the successful cultivation of the mem- 
ory only, pervert the original compliment of the term, for 
doubtless it has connection with the science of Freemasonry, 
and as that is Light, so he who imbibes largely of its rays 
must needs grow "bright." The Freemason should still be 
bright — but to be so, he must know more than he was once 
required to know. 

Especially should the craftsman cultivate an acquaintance 
with the true objects of Freemaso ry, and by assiduous study 
of its moral teaching seek to arrive at perfection in its prin- 
ciples. But thorough acquaintance with the theory of Free- 
masonry alone will be of little account to the craftsman, and 
of no moment at all to society, without the practice of its 
1* (9) 



10 INTRODUCTION. 

principles, and their daily exhibition in the walk and conver- 
sation. 

It was from a conviction of this truth, and the necessity, I 
thought I perceived, of impressing on the craft attention to 
these higher demands of Freemasonry, that I first conceived 
the propriety of a series of lectures on the Old Charges. So 
meagre appeared the lessons of the great objects of Free- 
masonry as a science, and its beautiful morality, to be derived 
from the usual Lodge lectures, as they are hastily given — so 
pressing the demand for more light to the Craft on these im- 
portant points, which are the true kernel of the science (for, 
with one exception in my own Mastership, I had never even 
heard the Old Charges read in a Lodge), that I proposed to 
the brethren of Kennesaw Lodge, No. 33, in 1855, to give 
them a course of lectures on the Charges, if they would give 
me their attention. They readily consented ; and though the 
course was interrupted for some months after the third lec- 
ture, they were always urging the completion of the series, 
until at length each Charge was considered in its order. 

This is, in brief, the history of these lectures. They were 
prepared for the edification of the brethren in my own Lodge, 
and though subsequently delivered, without order, to various 
Lodges, in my official visiting, always with apparent interest 
to the brethren, they have been left as they were originally 
written, as more likely to preserve the life and vividness of 
their first conception. In giving them now to the press, at 
the call of brethren from various quarters, I do not know 
that they will acid any tq my own reputation, at least in a 



INTRODUCTION. 11 

literary point of view. But this was not my ambition from 
the first. A more Masonic motive it was that moved their 
inception, and that motive, I may safely aver, if the style of 
the lectures themselves does not confirm it, was the desire to 
enlighten and benefit my brethren. This is my first and 
great desire now ; the hope of which, through the assurance 
of friends, has been the inducement to publish them. 

The want of a larger acquaintance by the fraternity with 
the morality of Freemasonry has been felt by many of the 
more thoughtful of the Craft, and the Grand Masters in vari- 
ous jurisdictions have expressed their opinion, time and 
again, that this is the desideratum of the Order. But the 
morality of Freemasonry, as well as its jurisprudence, can 
only be safely deduced from the "Old Charges of a Free- 
mason." That these should abound, as they do, with the 
principles which are coexistent with the antiquity and the 
aim of the Order, will not surprise, if we remember that they 
are called " Charges," because anciently every new-made 
brother, at his making, heard them read, and was then sol- 
emnly charged to observe and keep them. And they are 
now called " Old Charges," because their substance has been 
the same from time immemorial. It is plain, then, that here we 
are to look for the true objects and designs of Freemasonry; 
and it is here I have sought them. 

Some pious men have objected to Freemasonry, that it is 
made to usurp the office and place of religion ; and although 
this has been constantly denied by Freemasons, among whom 
are many pious brethren, I do not know but that the objec- 



12 INTRODUCTION. 

tion is yet sometimes raised. I have endeavored, in these 
lectures, to point out the true distinction between Religion 
proper and Freemasonry proper. And yet they are, as it 
were, indissolubly connected and tied together by the band 
of the same eternal principles. Indeed, without Religion 
there can be no Freemasonry ; and wherever Religion truly 
exists, there will Freemasonry exist also, in its principles, 
though its forms may be wanting. And so, while the Holy 
Spirit, the now, since Shiloh came, invisible Shekinah, dwell- 
eth in the church of the living God, through whose portals 
only we may approach unto its brightness, yet, as Free- 
masons, we may be permitted, without sacrilege, in our outer 
courts, to bow reverently before its inner presence. If we 
be Freemasons, good and true, we are already, in our hearts, 
not far from the kingdom of God. It wants, indeed, but the 
influence of that Spirit to lead us fully in. 

I am not without hope, that, should these lectures- be read 
by any who, in their religious zeal, have had aversion to 
Freemasonry, they may remove the objections to which that 
aversion was owing, and induce such, if they cannot come 
with us, at least to speak well of us. Unto the craft I now 
commit them, to "read, mark, and inwardly digest;" and 
may the "Father of all Lights" direct their influence for 
good, to the advancement of pure Freemasonry and the 
honor of His Holy Name. 

Marietta, Ga,, Sept. 9th, 1859. 



SIX LECTURES 



THE OLD CHARGES, 



(13) 



LECTURE I. 



Let the people praise thee, God ; let all the people praise 
thee. 

Psalm lxvii. 3. 

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, 
the Lord's name is to be praised. 

Psalm cxiii. 3. 



(15) 



LECTURE I. 



I. OF GOD AND RELIGION. 

Brethren : — The Charges of a Freemason, as they 
were collected from the ancient records of the frater- 
nity by our excellent brother, the Rev. James Ander- 
son, D. D., and the learned committee who acted with 
him, and given to the craft, through the press, in 1723, 
by order of the Grand Lodge of England, in 1721 
have been, wherever promulgated since, accepted and 
acknowledged as containing in themselves the sum and 
substance of the fundamental principles and law of 
Freemasonry. In them are to be found those undis- 
puted, time-honored principles which constitute the 
written Landmarks of our Order. Our English breth- 
ren, in the early part of the eighteenth century, signi- 
fied their reverence for them, by ordering them placed 
on enduring record for our benefit ; and there would 
less ignorance prevail among the craft at this day, and 



18 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

in this country, were we as careful to do, as they were 
to enjoin, the reading of them " at the making of new 
brethren ;" or, were Masters now more frequently to 
order it. 

The Charges are divided into six general heads, viz : 
I. Of God and Religion. 

II. Of the Civil Magistrates, Supreme and 

Subordinate. 

III. Of Lodges. 

IV. Of Masters, Wardens, Fellows and Ap- 

prentices. 

V. Of the Management of the Craft in work- 
ing. And, 

VI. Of Behavior. 

Which last is again subdivided into six other heads, 
viz : 

1. In the Lodge while constituted. 

2. After the Lodge is over, and the Brethren not gone. 

3. When Brethren meet without strangers, but not in 

a Lodge. 

4. In presence of strangers not Masons. 

5. At horns, and in the neighborhood. And, 

6. Towards a strange Brother. 



OF GOD AND RELIGION. 19 

From which it will be seen that they take within 
their range every duty of a Mason in all the relations 
of life— as a creature, as a subject of civil government, 
as a Mason, and as a man. The role is comprehensive, 
so are the duties enjoined, and the instructions for their 
fulfilment direct and explicit. 

I have thought it not without serviceable end, and 
for " the good of Masonry," to lecture you on these 
several duties, as they are taught and enforced by our 
Royal Art ; and I propose, with your attention and as- 
sistance, to take up these general heads in their order, 
and to make each one the text for an evening's dis- 
course, to our mutual profit. 

And first : — 

I. OF GOD AND KELIGION. 

Saith the Ancient Charge : — " A Mason is obliged, 
by his tenure, to obey the moral law ; and if he rightly 
understand the art, he will never be a stupid atheist, 
nor an irreligious libertine. 

" But, though in ancient times Masons were charged 
in every country to be of the religion of that country 
or nation, whatever it was, yet 'tis now thought more 
expedient only to oblige them to that religion in which 
all men agree, leaving their particular opinions to 
themselves ; that is, to be good men and true, or men 
of honor and honesty, by whatever denominations or 



20 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

persuasions tliey may be distinguished ; whereby 
Masonry becomes the centre of union, and the means 
of conciliating true friendship among persons that 
must have remained at a perpetual distance." 

Freemasonry is the science of human life. A science 
allegorized, it is true, in symbols, but in symbols so 
expressive, that he, who will, cannot fail to learn their 
lessons when once imparted, and so impressive, that 
once heard he can never forget. But, as man is con- 
fessedly a creature, and owes his existence to some 
great self-existent first cause, one and indivisible, no 
science professing to lay down rules for his conduct in 
life can be perfect, or even worthy of consideration, 
which does not provide for his relation to his Creator. 

This truth has been so universally felt and acknowl- 
edged, that in all the spurious mysteries of the ancients 
it formed a prominent feature. Indeed, it has been 
truly said, " The unity of God was the great dogma of 
all the mysteries." But the excellence of the Masonic 
mysteries will appear from a moment's comparison 
with these. For all others, while they taught the ex- 
istence and unity of deity, stumbled greatly in their 
conception of His nature. Instead of attributing to 
Him holiness, benevolence and justice, and invaria- 
bleness of character, they made Him hideous in the 
images with which they sought to represent Him, and 
repulsive in the attributes assigned to Him, as exem- 



OF GOD AND BELIGION. 21 

plified in the most horribly superstitious stories of His 
fickle dealings with the children of men. No vice of 
which the human heart is capable, however low, how- 
ever disgusting, but was credited to Him, and that, 
too, among the most refined nations. Even His om- 
niscience, His omnipresence, and omnipotence were re- 
stricted, or denied to Him, in the many ridiculous 
stories of His acts, as invented by their priests and 
poets. The invisible Jehovah, whose glory the heaven 
of heavens cannot contain, and whose duration eter- 
nity itself cannot circumscribe, became, in their cor- 
rupt imagination, a very incarnate demon, more gross, 
more selfish and sensual than any of His creatures. So 
the peoples who practised the rites of those spurious 
mysteries, misled and degraded by their teachings, in 
time confounded and forgot the unity of God, and, 
blindly dispensing His attributes to material objects, 
assigned to them the homage due only to Him, and, 
equally worshipped, in their fear, the stone against 
which they stumped the toe, or, in their gratitude, the 
fount which slaked their thirst, or the tree which had 
satisfied, with its fruit, their hunger. Things visible 
and tangible, things created, were made to usurp the 
homage due only to the Creator. 

But Freemasonry, sensible that its teachings were 
barren of their highest utility without a reference of 
man to his first duty to his Creator, has been careful 



22 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

to point him to the only true God — Jehovah, the Great 
Architect of the Universe, the God and Father of us 
all. It directs the contemplation of the Sons of Light 
to His works, as displayed in the diversified scenery 
of the earth, which is His footstool, and of the spacious 
firmament, which is the curtain of His dwelling-place. 

And that a brother may not stumble even here, it 
leaves him not to the Book of Nature alone, whence to 
draw correct conceptions of the Divine character, but, 
in further care of his proper tuition in the great duty 
of love and obedience to this Great Being, it spreads 
upon its altars the ever open Book of His Revelation ; 
leaving to the initiated no excuse for ignorance of 
His character, or of what service from the creature 
will be acceptable in His sight. 

In this science of life, as taught by Freemasonry, 
we are not left to worship, with slavish fear, a Moloch, 
or a Dagon, whose delight is in the blood of human 
sacrifice and the practice of disgusting orgies, but with 
willing obedience, and love " from the ground of the 
heart," a Being who in all His works, and in His rev- 
elation, hath declared His enduring love unto man- 
kind, and His abhorrence of all impurity ; that He 
delighteth not in any sacrifice but " the sacrifice of a 
troubled spirit, a broken and contrite heart ;" and 
whose favor, by His unfailing word, is promised to 
all " such as excel in virtue." His help He hath prom- 



OF GOD AND EELTGION. 23 

ised to the afflicted, and to the poor and humble in 
spirit, who call upon Him in their trouble. And that 
He fulfilleth His promise, one inspired of old hath tes- 
tified in the following strain — " Thou hast turned my 
heaviness into joy ; thou hast put off my sackcloth 
and girded me with gladness : therefore, shall every 
good man sing of thy praise without ceasing : Oh, my 
God ! I will give thanks unto thee, forever." * 

This holy Being knoweth all things, hath power to 
do all things, and filleth all space with His presence. 
Around us and within us, everywhere, He is. " But," 
says an eminent writer, in the early part of the last 
century, " though the Deity be thus essentially present 
through all the immensity of space, there is one part 
of it in which He discovers Himself in a most tran- 
scendent and visible glory. This is that place which 
is marked out in Scripture under the different appella- 
tions of Paradise, the third heaven, the throne of God, 

and the habitation of His glory As in 

Solomon's Temple there was the Sanctum Sanctorum, 
in which a visible glory appeared among the figures of 
the cherubim, and into which none but the High Priest 
himself was permitted to enter, after having made an 
atonement for the sins of the people ; so, if we consider 
the whole creation as one great Temple, there is in it 
this holy of holies, into which the High Priest of our 

8 Psalm xxx. Common Prayer version. 



24 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

salvation entered, and took his place among angels 
and archangels, after having made a propitiation for 
the sins of mankind."* 

Thus is laid the sure foundation of Freemasonry 
upon the " Rock of Ages," the eternal God Himself. 
And what is laid on that foundation can never be 
shaken. Yet Freemasonry is not religion in the 
higher sense of that word. It is only the fruit of 
religion. It does not reclaim, it only preserves. It 
does not seek the corrupt and bad, for it pretends not 
to restore ; but by binding together the good in the 
common pursuit and maintenance of Truth and Virtue 
it makes profert of these to the world, and guarantees 
their continual culture. 

Though Freemasonry is not religion, they are yet 
so nearly allied that you will readily admit the pro- 
priety, if not the necessity, of considering in connection 
with this the foundation-stone of the Institution, — the 
nature and character of the God we Masons are taught 
to revere. This is the more essential if you agree 
with me in the proposition with which I started, viz : 
that Freemasonry is the science of human life. For, 
teaching, as Freemasonry most emphatically does, the 
immortality of the soul, and its accountability to God, 
this our earth-life can be regarded as no more than 
a condition preparatory to the life to come, and no 

Addison. 



OF GOD AND RELIGION. 25 

science claiming truly to direct the soul through its 
probation, can be worth much which fails to instruct 
us in the character of Him who hath made us proba- 
tioners, and who is finally to judge us after our pro- 
bation is ended. Therefore have I endeavored briefly 
and faintly to portray the character of that great and 
holy Being in whom every brother hath once declared 
his trust. 

Freemasonry, by requiring of the initiate a belief in 
this God, thereby requires the rendering of that duty 
to Him which is the chief end of man. For it is self- 
evident that the mind, once convinced of the existence 
of such an almighty being, the Great Author of all 
life — the Giver of every good gift, and Governor of the 
universe — and seeing that He is everywhere, cannot 
resist, if it would, the conclusion, that the daily 
homage of a pure heart — " a conscience void of of- 
fence toward Him and our fellow-men" — is His due, 
and no more than " our reasonable service." 

Now it matters not what may be the outward forms 
of religion which prevail — what prescribed ceremonies 
are observed — whether the public worship of God be 
conducted standing, or prostrate, with genuflection, or 
with dancing, on the tops of high hills, or in the lowest 
valleys, or in temples made with hands, the common 
sense of all mankind has agreed, and His revealed 
word hath declared, that the only acceptable worship 
2 



26 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

to Him must proceed from the heart — must be offered 
" in spirit and in truth." In this conviction the Spirit 
of God Himself, in all ages and among all peoples, has 
not been without witness in men's hearts. 

It was the perception of this great truth that con- 
vinced our fathers of the propriety of leaving to every 
one his particular religious opinions as to non-essential 
forms ; and, for the better securing the universality of 
Freemasonry, and so conciliating all men who else 
might have remained at a perpetual distance, requiring 
only of the initiate a belief in the one true God, and 
that he be " good and true, honorable and honest " — 
goodness and truth, and honor and honesty being the 
natural fruits of such belief. 

Freemasonry being the science of human life, it were 
essential to begin with this belief, for otherwise it had 
been without foundation. But no man can build 
without -a foundation. Therefore the atheist and the 
libertine, wanting this prerequisite, cannot be made 
Freemasons. Having nothing stable in them whereon 
to rest that spiritual edifice it is the design of Free- 
masonry that every brother shall rear within himself, 
they are and must be rejected. 

That no atheist can be made a Mason is an acknowl- 
edged Landmark of our Order, undisputed and indis- 
putable ; for, besides the familiar reason for this given 
in our lodge lectures, viz : " That on him who does not 



OF GOD AND RELIGION. 27 

believe in the existence of a superintending Providence 
no obligation can be binding," he cannot be made a Ma- 
son, because he should not undertake to build without 
first laying a foundation for his building ; and the busi- 
ness of every Mason is carefully to erect in his own heart, 
gradually to become visible in his character, a temple 
to our God. This temple must be builded after a pat- 
tern ; and that pattern is to be found only in the Book 
of the Law, which is the Mason's moral and spiritual 
trestle-board. Without designs to follow, his building 
would be naught but patchwork, a shame and a dis- 
grace to the Order. The trestle-board is an essential 
jewel to every perfect lodge. In every degree the 
Mason is taught to look to it for the designs laid by 
the Master for his guidance in his work. As a Free 
and Accepted Mason engaged on a spiritual temple, he 
is instructed to regard the " great books of nature and 
revelation" as his " spiritual, moral, and Masonic tres- 
tle-board," on which are inscribed the perfect designs 
of the Supreme Master of all, the Grand Architect of 
the universe. But the atheist denies the very being of 
this Supreme Master. How then can he respect His 
designs ? If he will not own the Great Master Builder, 
nor use His designs, it follows, the building being for 
that Master, he cannot be suffered to work on it at all. 
There were danger of sudden indignation from on high 
at the profanation of his touch. 



28 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

And here, brethren, it is fitting I should address you 
a few thoughts on the first qualification of candidates. 
I am convinced too little heed is given by Masons of 
this day to their duty on this point. We are too 
readily satisfied with a mere assent, on the part of the 
candidate for our mysteries, to the existence of Deit}^. 
But it is not only the atheist (a character I can hardly 
conceive of), but the libertine, also, the ancient Charge 
which forms the text of this evening's lecture declares 
unfit to receive our mysteries. For the credit and 
honor of man, I believe few indeed can be found who 
would deny outright the existence of God. "Well 
cloth this old Charge call such " stupid ;" none but the 
fool hath said in his heart There is no God. With 
such we are not likely ever to be troubled ; but with 
the libertine it behooves us to be always on our guard. 

By " libertine' 7 we are not to understand that re- 
ligious sect which sprung up in Holland, in 1525, and 
which maintained " that whatever was done by men 
was done by the Spirit of God, and thence concluded 
there was no sin but to those who thought it so," thus, 
in effect, making God to pander to their own evil lusts. 
These doctrines will hardly be avowed by any in this 
day. But have we not reason to believe that many, 
who would be ashamed to avow them with their lips, 
do yet practise them in their lives ? Certain it is, it 
would require some such mode of reasoning to recon- 



OF GOD AND RELIGION. 29 

cile the actions of some men with their professed be- 
lief. The word " libertine' 7 is rather used here in a 
sense more nearly allied to its primitive meaning in 
the Latin tongue whence it is derived, though in a per- 
verted sense. An "irreligious libertine" means one 
who thinks and acts as a " freedman" — independent of, 
free from, the restraints of his obligations to Deity — 
not perceiving that in the service of God alone is 
" perfect freedom." In the language of the Charge, he 
who " rightly understands the art" will not be such. 
Yet, with all our care, such do sometimes creep into 
our assemblies. They are among us, but not of us. 
They are not Masons, nor indeed, ever can be. 

As Masons, under peculiar obligations to regard the 
good of Freemasonry more than the gratification of 
any man, or set of men, we should not be satisfied with 
the mere verbal assent of the candidate to a belief in 
Deity, but, by reference to his daily life, ascertain if 
the Deity he believes in is the God we Masons are 
taught to love and revere. Does he live without the 
restraints of law and religion ? He is an " irreligious 
libertine," and cannot be made a Freemason, no matter 
what he professes to believe. Is he, on the other hand, 
" good and true, honorable and honest ?" Does he 
practise that which the inspired writer declared to be 
true and undefiled religion before God, the Father, 
viz : " Visit the fatherless and widows in their afflic- 



30 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

tion, and keep himself unspotted from, the world ?" 
His foundation is that which will withstand the winds, 
and the floods, and the storms, and in him Freemasonry 
will be honored. 

I have not considered here the general qualifications 
of the candidate. This is not the place to do so. I 
am treating the subject of the first Charge — of God and 
Eeligion, and, therefore, have confined myself to it. I 
repeat — a mere verbal assent to a belief in Deity is not 
enough to qualify a candidate for the mysteries of 
Freemasonry. Something more should be required. 
The life of the candidate should be looked to. Actions 
often speak louder than words. In profession, an 
atheist can scarcely be found ; in practice, many. 

Having dealt with the nature of the Deity, a belief 
in whom Freemasonry requires, and what is the char- 
acter of that belief the candidate should possess to 
entitle him to admission to our mysteries, I proceed 
next to define more particularly the duties we owe to 
Deity. 

And first, we owe to God faith in Him. By faith 
in God is to be understood a very different thing from 
the mere conviction by the Reason of His existence. 
The Reason may, and should, be properly exercised in 
bringing the mind to a perception of the evidences of 
His existence which surround and obstruct our path 
at every step in life ; so that we cannot move, or even 



OF GOD AND RELIGION. 31 

respire the atmosphere that enconipasseth us, without 
meeting the unmistakable signs of a first great Cause, 
the Maker of us and of all things, " in whom we live, 
move, and have our being." It is then — after the mind 
has been thus convinced — that Faith comes in. It-is 
an exercise of the heart, and'not of the mind. Reason 
may teach us to believe that God is, but it is Faith, and 
Faith alone, that goes further, and persuades us, " that 
He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him," 
— God, excellent in goodness, faithful in promises. 

When we contemplate the holiness of God, and His 
righteousness, which cannot make the least allowance 
for sin, we will be at no loss to conceive the essential 
importance of Faith to our acceptable service to Him, 
since it is only through Faith that any righteousness can 
be imputed to us. It is by Faith that we arrive at more 
correct notions of the true character of Deity. It is 
by Faith that we learn to think more truly of ourselves, 
as we are — of our mortal weakness and our immortal 
destiny. It is by Faith we acquire a love for our fel- 
low-men, and count them as kindred and brethren, 
And, finally, it is by Faith in the atonement of our 
Great High Priest, that we hope at the last, through 
His righteousness, to be accepted of God. 

From this brief epitome, it will be seen how impor- 
tant is the duty of faith to the Mason. But if any of 
you desire more fully to learn the power of faith, what 



32 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

it has done, and what it is able to do for the souls of 
men, read what Saint Paul saith of it in his admirable 
Letter to the Hebrews, 11th chapter. 

In the next place, we owe to God obedience. 
Obedience is the basis of all government whatsoever ; 
without it society itself would soon fall to pieces, and 
where order and happiness now obtain, confusion and 
rebellious strife would prevail. God Himself, in His 
revealed word, hath set His seal upon its value, and 
distinguished it by His peculiar favor, by not only 
commanding its inculcation and practice from our 
earliest years to our earthly parents, but by adding, 
what He did not to any other of His commandments, 
His special promise of reward. Thus — " Honor thy 
father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in 
the land which the Lord thy God hath given thee" 

It is from this early inculcation of obedience to our 
earthly parents, the duty of obedience to the civil 
magistrate, and the higher duty of obedience to our 
Heavenly Father, becomes easy and natural. Free- 
masonry, true to its objects, doth never lose sight of 
this duty, and by the practice of humiliation and 
prayer, doth ever enjoin upon the sons of light its 
constant exercise. 

But, as a fruit of faith and obedience, we owe to 
God that we keep His commandments, and " walk in 
His statutes to do them." This duty the ancient 



OF GOD AND RELIGION. 33 

Charge we are considering enjoins in these words : 
" A Mason is obliged by his tenure to obey the moral 
law." The moral law, in all its essentials, is the same 
with every people who acknowledge the existence of a 
Supreme Being, of the nature and character we have 
described. Among Jews and Christians it is agreed 
to be more perfectly summed up in the Decalogue, or 
Ten Commandments, set forth in the writings of 
Moses. They comprehensively enjoin all the more 
prominent duties of man to his Maker, and to his 
fellow-man. These a Mason is obliged, " by his ten- 
ure," to obey. 

Tenure, though a law-technical, yet hath a very wide 
and extensive signification. It may be comprehensively 
defined to mean — a holding. The tenure of an Estate 
in Law means the holding an estate, generally on some 
condition to be performed on the part of the tenant. 
In Europe this was frequently, in the case of landed 
estates in feudal times, a condition of personal service 
to the sovereign of the realm, or lord of the manor, 
and now of allegiance to the crown, or stipulated rent 
to the lord of the fee. And even in this country, the 
right of eminent domain being in the State, it may be 
said that our tenure in fee-simple to lands (the largest 
estate known to the law) is yet burthened with the 
condition that he who holds the estate shall truly ren- 
der to the State the lawful taxes on the same, or his 
2* 



34 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

tenure becomes, by so much, uncertain and weakened ; 
since it becomes subject to levy and sale, on the part 
of the State, for their payment. Sometimes, tenure in 
law has reference to the duration of the estate, without 
restriction of enjoyment during the term of duration. 
It is in this last sense we are to understand it here. 

Great as are the privileges and benefits of Freema- 
sonry, when its principles are properly understood and 
faithfully practised, they are forfeited, and become, 
like the apples of the Dead Sea, " all ashes to the 
taste," if we fail to observe the moral law. For, it is 
on this very condition alone that its privileges and 
benefits are ours. It is, therefore, in our own power, 
by obeying the moral law, to make this our estate an 
estate in perpetuity, or, by our disregard and violation 
of that law, to forfeit and lose our estate after shortest 
duration. This is the condition, this the tenure by 
which and upon which it is ours. 

I have said Freemasonry does not claim to be relig- 
ion. But it is, indeed, the very handmaid of religion. 
In our lodges we constantly acknowledge our depend- 
ence upon and the service we owe to our Almighty 
Master. And what Mason, let his sectarian views be 
what they may, will not own, as he must feel, that 
nowhere has the whole duty of Freemasons been more 
succinctly and fully summed up than in the words of 
the Divine Master Himself, " Thou shalt love the Lord 



OP GOD AND RELIGION. 35 

thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and 
with all thy mind ; and thy neighbor as thyself." 

But let not any brother imagine that because one 
does not observe the same ceremonial law with himself, 
in his worship of Deity, he may justly reject liim from 
Masonic fellowship. This were sadly to pervert all 
the teachings of Freemasonry. Why, herein are we 
all most agreed, that while we unite in the belief of 
the one true God, and in the exercise of brotherly love 
and charity, which is so acceptable to Him, we will 
not engage in vain babblings among ourselves, whether 
the waters of Jordan, or of Arbana and Pharphar are 
most effectual to heal all leprosy. For we know — 
Freemasonry hath taught us this — that either will be 
efficacious as the Lord will, and only as the Lord will ; 
and that it is His will that according to a man's faith 
shall it be done unto him. Nay, if there be anything 
unmasonic, it is the entertaining objection to a brother, 
on profane, or sectarian grounds. There are no sects 
in the sight of God. 

It becometh a Mason, of all men, if he would be con- 
sistent with his profession, in the words of one inspired 
of old, " to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk hum- 
bly with his God." The natural fruits of such a life 
are personal goodness, truth, honor, and honesty. To 
live in open disregard of this duty, is to forfeit, accord^ 
ing to the ancient Charge we are considering, all claim 



36 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

to the rights, privileges, and benefits of Freemasonry. 
For his tenure of these is on condition that he perform 
the other. The estate being conditional, if he neglect 
to fulfil the condition, it becomes forfeited, and no 
longer vests in him. 

And now, brethren, what should we become from a 
consistent discharge of these duties ? In the language 
of the charge, " Good men and true." To be good, is 
to be, in so much as we are good, nearer to the image 
of God ; Goodness being one of His distinguishing 
attributes. In it are comprehended, as in a circle, all 
the virtues. 

To be true, were a praise highly to be coveted of 
all men. Truth is the very bond and hinge of all life. 
So peculiar and essential an attribute of Deity is it 
esteemed, that an eminent Greek philosopher, in 
describing the Supreme Being hath said, " Truth is 
His body, and Light His shadow." 

Let us consider for a moment, how important Truth 
is to the very existence and well-being of Nature itself. 
Without Truth, the very laws which sustain and regu- 
late the harmonious action of the spheres with which 
our earth is connected and surrounded would be uncer- 
tain, and the beauty and order of the whole become 
one inextricable mass of irremediable confusion. With- 
out Truth — if God were not true to Himself, true to 
His own laws — the seasons, which by their agreeable 



OF GOD AND RELIGION* 37 

variety serve to sustain and refresh us, would become 
cold chaos and night ; " seed time and harvest" would 
be no more, and animal life would perish from off the 
face of the earth. Without Truth, the inferior animals 
would cease to obey the instincts of their several 
natures, which now serve to preserve their species, 
and would become in turn the enemy and the prey 
of each other. 

But if such be the importance of Truth, as exhibited 
in the works of God in inanimate nature, and in the 
inferior animals, how strange that man, who has been 
distinguished by his Maker with Reason, a quality above 
the instincts of the lower animals, should not value it 
more highly than he does, and esteem it as the first of 
all the virtues ! But so it is ; man fails often where 
the brutes excel. Yet the Reason, of which he boasts, 
might well teach him better. 

One of England's greatest writers and best of men, 
Archbishop Tillotson, more than a hundred years 
ago, thus wrote of this virtue : " Sincerity is the most 
compendious tvisdom, and an excellent instrument for 
the speedy dispatch of business ; it creates confidence 
in those we have to deal with, saves the labor of 
many inquiries, and brings things to an issue in a 
few words ; it is like travelling in a plain beaten 
road, which commonly brings a man sooner to his 
journey's end than by-ways, in which men often lose 



38 MORAL DESIGN OP FREEMASONRY. 

themselves. In a word, whatsoever convenience may 
be thought to be in falsehood and dissimulation, it 
is soon over ; but the inconvenience of it is per- 
petual, because it brings a man under an everlast- 
ing jealousy and suspicion, so that he is not believed 
when he speaks truth, nor trusted when, perhaps, 
he means honestly. When a man has once forfeited 
the reputation of his integrity, he is set fast, and 
nothing will then serve his turn, neither truth nor 
falsehood. 

" And I have often thought that God hath, in His 
great wisdom, hid from men of false and dishonest 
minds the wonderful advantages of truth and integrity 
to the prosperity even of our worldly affairs ; these 
men are so blinded by their covetousness and ambition, 
that they cannot look beyond a present advantage, 
nor forbear to seize upon it, though by ways never so 
indirect ; they cannot see so far as to the remote con- 
sequences of a steady integrity, and the vast benefit 
and advantage it will bring a man at last. Were but 
this sort of men wise and clear-sighted enough to dis- 
cern this, they would be honest out of very knavery — 
not out of any love to honesty and virtue, but with a 
crafty design to promote and advance more effectually 
their own interests — and, therefore, the justice of the 
Divine Providence hath hid this truest point of wis- 
dom from their eyes, that bad men might not be upon 



OF GOD AND RELIGION. 39 

equal terms with the just and upright, and serve their 
own wicked designs by honest and lawful means. 

" Indeed, if a man were only to deal in the world for 
a day, and should never have occasion to converse 
more with mankind, never more need their good 
opinion or good word, it were then no great matter 
(speaking as to the concernments of this world) if a 
man spent his reputation all at once, and ventured it 
at one throw ; but if he be to continue in the world, 
and would have the advantage of conversation whilst 
in it, let him make use of truth and sincerity in all his 
words and actions ; for nothing but this will last and 
hold out to the end : all other arts will fail, but truth 
and integrity will carry a man through and bear him 
out to the last." 

As Masons, we are under peculiar obligation to 
cultivate Truth. This ancient Charge and our lodge 
lectures teach, as the first lesson in Masonry, to be 
good and true — " on its theme to contemplate, and by 
its dictates endeavor to regulate our conduct ; hence, 
while influenced by this principle, hypocrisy and deceit 
are unknown among us ; sincerity and plain dealing 
distinguish us, and the heart and tongue join in pro- 
moting each others' welfare, and rejoicing in each 
others' prosperity." 

Seeing, then, brethren, that though Freemasonry 
enjoins upon us no particular form of religious observ- 



40 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

ance, yet its demands are religious in their character, 
and that our Masonic rights are conditional upon the 
performance of our Masonic duties, we should never 
forget, in view of our solemn obligations to the great 
Institution, and through it to God, to each other and 
to mankind, " what manner of men we should be." 
Let us so strive to be good and true in this life, that 
when the Grand Tiler, Death, shall come to summon 
us to the Supreme Lodge of the Blessed on high, we 
may be clothed and ready. For death is the test of 
our lives, and " the end crowneth the attempt." 

I was once called publicly to address my brethren, 
on a Masonic occasion. It was objected by a brother, 
more thoughtless than wise in the objection, that my 
discourse partook too largely of the nature of a ser- 
mon. You may think so now. But reflect ! What is 
Freemasonry itself, with the Book of the Law ever 
spread open on its thousand altars, but a living sermon ? 
And, if the great delineator of human nature, and close 
observer of all the influences which surround us in 
earth, air, fire and water, could find 

" Tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, 
Sermons in stones, and good in every thing," 

how much more readily shall we, in this great and 
ever-growing theme of Freemasonry ! 

But the Charge I have this evening considered left 



OP GOD AND KELIGION. 41 

me no choice, did I desire it. Of God and Religion I 
had to speak ; and who would tire of rational contem- 
plation of these subjects, so great in themselves, so 
near to our happiness, both as finite and immortal 
beiugs, is yet to learn the first requisite to becoming a 
good Mason. 

If there be any yet among you, brethren, unto whom 
this theme is wearisome, I will say, for the satisfaction 
of such, that the remaining lectures in this series will 
turn more on the practical rights and privileges which 
obtain among Masons, and the corresponding duties 
we owe to Freemasonry, the world and ourselves ; 
though these we have just considered can never be 
wholly lost sight of, since it is upon a proper under- 
standing of them that all our Masonic duties and rights 
depend. 



LECTURE II 



Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there 

is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of 

God. * * * For rulers are not a terror to good works, but 

to the evil. 

Romans xni. 1, 3. 



(43) 



LECTURE II. 



H. OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE, SUPREME AND 
SUBORDINATE. 

Brethren : — The subject which will engage our 
attention this evening is the duty, as Masons, we owe 
to the civil government, under whose protection we 
live and enjoy our rights and privileges, civil and 
masonic. Nor does it follow, though these latter be 
denied to us, that we are at liberty to resist the powers 
that be. 

The following are the words of the Ancient Charge 
on this head : 

II. OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE, SUPREME AND 
SUBORDINATE. 

"A Mason is a peaceable subject to the civil pow- 
ers wherever he resides or works, and is never to be 
concerned in plots and conspiracies against the peace 

and welfare of the nation, nor to behave himself un- 

(45) 



46 MORAL DESIGN OP FREEMASONRY. 

dutifully to inferior magistrates ; for as Masonry hath 
been always injured by war, bloodshed and confusion, 
so ancient kings and princes have been much disposed 
to encourage the craftsmen because of their peaceable- 
ness and loyalty, whereby they practically answered 
the cavils of their adversaries and promoted the honor 
of the fraternity, who ever flourished in times of peace. 
So that if a brother should be a rebel against the 
State, he is not to be countenanced in his rebellion, 
however he may be pitied as an unhappy man ; and, if 
convicted of no other crime, though the loyal brother- 
hood must and ought to disown his rebellion, and give 
no umbrage or- ground of political jealousy to the 
government for the time being, they cannot expel him 
from the lodge, and his relation to it remains indefea- 
sible." 

Obedience, I have remarked, is the basis of all gov- 
ernment. How eminently it is due to God, the Supreme 
Governor of all, I have, in my former lecture, briefly 
considered. But, though the duty owed first to Him 
flows thence to country and parents doiunward, the 
exercise of that duty, by an inverse law, mercifully 
adapted to the necessity of our nature, begins towards 
our parents, and thence rises upward to country and 
to God. It was with reference to this necessity that 
God Himself commanded and commended to all man- 
kind obedience to our earthly parents ; and we shall 



OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE. 47 

see, after very little reflection, that the same reasons 
which support and enforce its exercise in the one case, 
apply with equal, if not greater strength, to the 
other. 

Government, besides that it is the law of the uni- 
verse, is necessary to the happiness, if not the exist- 
ence, of man ; and he who would refuse his obedience 
to just government, is a disorganizer and evil-doer. 
All such Freemasonry condemns. 

Milton, in one of the noblest passages in the English 
language, thus speaks of government, and the excel- 
lency of its rule and necessity, under the name of dis- 
cipline : " He that hath read with judgment of nations 
and commonwealths, of cities and camps, of peace and 
war, of sea and land, will readily agree that the flour- 
ishing and decaying of all civil societies, all the mo- 
ments and turnings of human occasions, are moved to 
and fro as upon the axle of discipline. So that what- 
soever power or sway in mortal things weaker men 
have attributed to fortune, I durst with more confidence 
(the honor of Divine Providence ever saved) ascribe 
either to the vigor or the slackness of discipline. Nor is 
there any sociable perfection in this life, civil or sacred, 
that can be above discipline ; but she is that which, 
with her musical chords, preserves and holds all the 
parts thereof together. Hence in those perfect armies 
of Cyrus in Xenophon, and Scipio in the Roman 



48 MORAL DESIGN OP FREEMASONRY. 

stones, the excellence of military skill was esteemed, 
not by the not needing, but by the readiest submitting 
to the edicts of their commander. And, certainly, dis- 
cipline is not only the removal of disorder, but if any 
visible shape can be given to divine things, the very 
visible shape and image of Virtue, whereby she is not 
only seen in the regular gestures and motions of her 
heavenly paces as she walks, but also makes the har- 
mony of her voice audible to mortal ears. Yea, the 
angels themselves, in whom no disorder is feared, as 
the apostle that saw them, in his rapture describes, 
are distinguished and quarternioned into the celestial 
princedoms and satrapies, according as God Himself 
has writ His imperial decrees, through the great prov- 
inces of heaven. The state also of the blessed in 
Paradise, though never so perfect, is not therefore left 
without discipline, whose golden surveying reed marks 
out and measures every quarter and circuit of New 
Jerusalem." Indeed, we cannot conceive of any ra- 
tional existence without government, or, as Milton 
hath it, discipline. The idea of laws, which are the 
arms of government, is inseparable from the idea of 
being. 

I have said, the duty of obedience to the civil gov- 
ernment of our country, and to God, and to our earthly 
parents, is supported and enforced by the same reasons. 
But the duty of obedience to our earthly parents rests 



OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE. 49- 

upon the principle of obligation : first, by reason of 
indebtedness, and, second, of gratitude. 

And, first, we owe our parents obedience, respect, filial 
homage, and duty, extending even to maintenance and 
support in their old age, as a compensation due them for 
their attention and care of our interests, when and in 
what particulars we were unable to protect ourselves 
m them. These are not, and cannot be, in any just 
ethical consideration, regarded as any other than a 
debt ; a debt, in its obligation, of more than ordinary 
sanctity and binding force on us, by so much as the 
services rendered were essential to our life, welfare 
and happiness, and were bestowed with single aim to 
our good, at a time when we were helpless to serve 
ourselves. This makes, in addition to the quantum 
valebant count which might lie for these services in the 
municipal courts, a case in foro conscientice ; and to the 
legal obligation of debt adds that also of honor. 

But the same circumstances unite to render the 
claim of country, the government under which we live, 
and enjoy in peace the full and undisturbed possession 
of the rights of life, liberty and property, equally 
obligatory upon us. Nay, more, since, but for its pro- 
tection, accorded to our parents before us, we had 
been deprived, possibly, of much of the efficiency and 
value of their services, essential to our welfare as they 
were. 

3 



50 MORAL DESIGN OP FREEMASONRY. 

But this further recommendation to our duty hath 
civil government, that its protection is given with our 
matured consent, expressed or implied, and that it 
secures to us objects more valuable than were the 
'primary objects of the protection and care of our 
parents, which were only the preservation of life, since, 
without the former, life itself would be nothing worth. 
Hence, the obligation of obedience, respect and duty 
to government is by so much of a higher quality and 
degree than that we owe to our parents. 

Again, we owe obedience, respect, filial homage and 
duty to our parents, from obligation of gratitude. It 
is our privilege, as intellectual and moral beings, to 
own the higher emotions which belong to those 
natures ; and, owning these, the rational creature 
which would withhold from his parents the tribute 
of gratitude, for their past services to him rendered, 
in his helpless infancy, sinks in the scale of being, and, 
falling short of this divine attribute of his nature, is, 
to that extent, " led captive of the devil." 

But the same claim, and greater, has government on 
our gratitude, for its protection of our rights and 
dearest interests, by reason that those rights and 
interests are of higher value, and the protection af- 
forded of more potent might. 

And, if this be true in relation to country — earthly 
government — how infinitely greater must it be con- 



OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE. 51 

ceded to be in relation to God — to God, in whom are 
centred all the powers, and all the relations, with 
more of the faithfulness of country and parents both ! 
If we owe much to our earthly parents and to civil 
government, for the blessings they confer upon us, 
which to possess of our unaided selves we are unable, 
helpless, how much more to our Heavenly Father, who 
openeth His hand and all creatures are filled — unto 
whom we are indebted for life itself, with every bless- 
ing of life so richly scattered in and around us, before 
and behind in our pathway, that through their very 
profusion we are like to disregard them — " in whom 
we live, move, and have our being ?" 

Thus we see, my brethren, that in every consider- 
ation, justly weighed, of what we owe, and of what we 
should be grateful for, in this life, beside the im- 
measurable, inestimable gift of immortality after this 
life is ended — of which every brother who has been 
raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason hath 
assurance — the argument, as by a natural grade, runs 
upward to, and ends in God. So truly, did I say, in 
my former lecture, that we could not properly, at any 
time in the course of these lectures on the old Charges, 
lose sight of the first, which concerned God and 
Religion. 

I have deduced thus, I trust to your satisfaction, my 
brethren, the reasonableness and duty of obedience to 



52 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

the civil powers. This obedience is not confined to 
the supreme powers of a state, but belongs equally to 
the subordinate powers. They all derive their author- 
ity from the same source ; and what saith the old 
Charge we are considering ? That we should not be- 
have " undutifully to inferior magistrates." Thus 
Freemasonry enjoins on the children of light this 
duty of obedience to the civil powers of every grade ; 
nor countenances any neglect of that duty in our- 
selves, nor any encouragement of such neglect in 
others. 

It is noticeable here, how sedulously Freemasonry 
sets its face against all proselytism, or propagandism 
whatever. Not only are Masons taught not to per- 
suade or use any arts to induce any to become Free- 
masons, but they are also enjoined to obey the civil 
magistrate in what country soever whose protection 
and hospitality they enjoy, whether it be the country 
of their nativity, or of their adoption, or of their 
temporary sojourn ; whether its laws be such as they 
have been taught to love and revere from early educa- 
tion, or diverse, or even repugnant thereto, thereby 
forbidding us to propagate our private views of politi- 
cal principles, which may tend to the subversion of the 
government whose protection we enjoy. What a com- 
plete answer is this to those fears of our Institution 
which, aroused by bad and unprincipled men, for self- 



OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE. 53 

ish ends, have sometimes excited the hostility of some 
governments to our Order. 

Some there are who derive from this Charge evidence 
of the early migratory habits of our Order. These 
are they who cherish the notion that the craft were 
once operative workmen only, and were great rovers 
in quest of work and higher wages. 

It cannot be denied that the Institution did once 
bear an operative character. Yet I do not believe 
that Freemasonry ever bore an exclusively operative 
character; and I consider this Charge rather as evi- 
dence of the care our fathers had to recommend obe- 
dience to civil authority, and that the Sons of Light, 
wheresoever dispersed, should not engage in civil com- 
motions, as being at all times adverse to the harmony 
and prosperity of our Order. Operative or speculative 
as Freemasonry may have been, or both, there is no 
mistaking the language of this old Charge, nor the 
reason why this duty to civil magistrates is so carefully 
enjoined, viz : for that Freemasonry " hath always been 
injured by war, bloodshed and confusion ; " 'tis only in 
quiet and peace that the moral and spiritual objects of 
the Institution can with any hope of successful result 
be carried on. 

That these, the moral and spiritual, are the true 
objects of Freemasonry, no well-instructed brother can 
for a moment doubt. For, as that great intellect, 



54 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

already quoted,* speaking of the higher office of Relig- 
ion to the same end, observes — " God, to show how 
little He could endure that men should be tampering 
and contriving in His worship, though in things of less 
regard, gave to David for Solomon not only a pattern 
and model for the temple, but a direction for the 
courses of the Priests and Levites, and for all the 
work of their service." And then asks, — " Hid God 
take such delight in measuring out the pillars, arches 
and doors of a material temple ? "Was He so punctual 
and circumspect in lavers, altars and sacrifices soon 
after to be abrogated, lest any of these should have 
been made contrary to His mind ? . . . . Should not 
he rather now, by His own prescribed discipline, have 
cast his line and level upon the soul of man, which 
is His rational temple, and by the divine square and 
compass thereof, form and regenerate in us the lovely 
shapes of virtues and graces, the sooner to edify and 
accomplish that immortal stature of Christ's body, 
which is His church, in all her glorious lineaments and 
proportions ? " So may we not by the same reasoning 
as k ) — Does Freemasonry take all this care of the 
temple, its ritual and courses of its officers, and for all 
the work of their service, for no higher end than the 
perfect ordering and preserving of the material tools 
and implements thereof ? Or does she not rather " cast 

* Milton. 



OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE. 55 

her line and level upon the soul of man, and, by the 
divine square and compass thereof, form and regener- 
ate in us the lovely shapes of virtues and graces, the 
sooner to edify and accomplish " that spiritual temple 
every brother is taught to construct in his own heart ? 

It is a want of clear perception of this truth that 
makes so many, after looking in upon our mysteries, 
go away dissatisfied. They hastily imagine, as a 
learned brother* hath said, that all of Freemasonry is 
comprised in the lodge lectures. But these are but 
the elementary designs on the Trestle-board, which 
each brother is to fill up and finish into the complete 
moral structure for himself, in his own heart. He 
must ever be searching for " more light." And accord- 
ing to his search, and not otherwise, will he be 
rewarded. He seeks after the divine lineaments of 
Truth, and. though often baffled in the pursuit, he will 
falter not ever ; for he knows, by the esoteric teaching 
of the Royal Art, that though he may fall, the acacia 
shall yet bloom over his grave ; and that he will yet 
be raised by his brethren by the fivefold mystic cord, 
to be embalmed forever in their hearts as a living 
martyr to his unshaken fortitude and integrity ; living, 
not dead ; forever beckoning them on to a like incor- 
ruptible fidelity, with a like compensation of reward. 

The sacrifices to truth are never lost, my brethren ! 

~ Oliver. Hist Landmarks— Introd. 



56 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

Like the teeth of the dragon, they who fall will come 
up again, reinvigorated for the struggle, more com- 
pletely panoplied for the renewal of that contest with 
vice and error, ever waging and never finished, by each 
individual brother, until he be received and acknowl- 
edged in the temple above. 

With this understanding of its objects, 'twere to be 
inconsistent with itself did Freemasonry teach other- 
wise than obedience to the civil powers. 'Twere to 
demonstrate itself a false science thus. How could 
it be urged in one breath on the children of Light to 
subdue their passions and cultivate brotherly love to 
each other and to all mankind, if in another encourage- 
ment were given to disloyalty and rebellion, and all 
the disturbing and inflaming passions which these 
engender ? 

Difference in religion and politics has been the fruit- 
ful source of more devastating evil to the human fam- 
ily than all other differences whatever. For though 
the disputed possession of a pretty woman was made, 
according to their poets, the cause of some of the most 
celebrated wars among the most enlightened of the 
ancient nations, yet such cause is only a figment of the 
poets. It will do very well, under the charm of their 
numbers, for the purposes of their story, to believe 
this ; but reflection forbids the idea that whole nations 
would battle as one man for an object which could not 



OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE. 57 

be enjoyed but by a few at best. But Religion, or 
Politics, either, is a mistress whose delights may be 
sought and won, and enjoyed by all. Hence all can 
feel equal interest in the contest for their possession, 
according to their desire. They have thus a disturb- 
ing influence not confined to walls ; yet they are 
equally noxious when suffered to antagonize in their 
differences within walls. With what face could we 
teach the loveliness and importance of " peace, har- 
mony and good-will " among all Masons, and among 
all men, if we neglect to warn against that disobe- 
dience which is the sure and fruitful mother of strife, 
discord, and the hate which is " born of the devil?" 
From necessity of safety to its own objects, Freema- 
sonry must forbid these subjects to enter the Lodge. 
The same necessity prescribes obedience to the civil 
powers. And, true to its character, Freemasonry, in 
most emphatic terms, preserves its consistency in this 
behalf. For, it is to be noted of this old Charge, that 
its words are not simple words of advice and encour- 
agement, but by a forcible figure of Metonymy, whereby 
the thing done is put for the thing directed to be done, 
the effect for the cause, the fruit for the culture, the 
perfect necessary result for the duty enjoined, it is 
affirmed, that " a Mason is a peaceable subject to the 
civil powers" &c. 

In thus enjoining obedience to the civil powers, Free- 
3* 



58 MORAL DESIGN OP FREEMASONRY. 

masonry preserves its analogy to the true religion. 
Hear Saint Paul : 

" Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. 
For there is no power but of God ; the powers that be 
are ordained of God. 

" Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power, resisteth 
the ordinance of God : and they that resist shall re- 
ceive to themselves damnation. 

" For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the 
evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power ? do that 
which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same : 

"For he is the minister of God to thee for good. 
But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid ; for he 
beareth not the sword in vain : for he is the minister 
of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that 
doeth evil. 

" Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for 
wrath, but also for conscience' sake. 

" For, for this cause pay ye tribute also ; for they are 
God's ministers, attending continually upon this very 
thing. 

" Render, therefore, to all their dues : tribute to whom 
tribute is due : custom to whom custom : fear to whom 
fear : honor to whom honor. 

-• Owe no man anything, but to love one another ; 
for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law."* 

* Rom. xiii. 1-9. 



OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE. 59 

What is this, my brethren, but Freemasonry in its 
highest phase ? And we shall see, when we come to 
those other heads of these old Charges, which define 
and mark out more particularly the duties of a Free- 
mason, that these principles, here broadly given, are 
happily blended in the more special instructions laid 
down for his guidance. 

I will not discuss what acts, or omissions, on the part 
of government, will justify resistance in the subject or 
citizen ; nor what line of distinction should be drawn 
between the powers of a government de jure, and one 
de facto. This would be to introduce politics into the 
lodge, which we shall find elsewhere positively forbidden. 
What definitions, therefore, by the common consent of 
mankind, have, from of old, obtained as true concern- 
ing the proper objects of civil government, and how 
these turn, under all forms of government, upon the 
single good and profit of the people governed ; and 
how, when this end is lost sight of, unregarded, or set 
aside, the duty of obedience may be concluded to cease, 
or be suspended,,! shall not, as it would be unfit, con- 
sider here. Yet, not insensible that there may be 
occasions which would justify disobedience to the civil 
powers, when these depart from all the legitimate ends 
of their creation, Freemasonry, while it forbids resist- 
ance to the civil powers, will not, therefore, declare 
such resistance to be a Masonic crime. We must not 



60 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY 

countenance resistance or rebellion in a brother, but 
for that rebellion or resistance, we shall not deprive 
him of his Masonic rights and privileges. 

This Charge is a full and complete answer to those 
who have attributed political designs to Freemasonry. 
Such imputation is contradicted by the history as well 
as the laws of the Order. A brother thus notices the 
false allegation : " It is contradicted, not only by the 
fact that all our constitutions, rules and regulations, 
by-laws and charges, forbid the members meddling 
with politics in any manner, as a Masonic body, or as 
Masons, and that the discussion of, or the descanting, 
or lecturing on, any political question or subject, in 
any lodge, or other congregation of Masons, as such, 
is likewise strictly prohibited ; but the experience of 
ages has proved that these rules and regulations have 
been strictly adhered to, not only according to the 
letter, but according to their spirit. How many indi- 
viduals of all the different political parties, do we find 
in the Masonic fraternity, and meeting in the same 
lodge, which in many cases is the only place where 
they do meet, divested of that political zeal and party 
rancor which add so much alloy to the enjoyment of 
social intercourse between man and man. At all other 
times and places they are strenuously opposed to each 
other, and meet in collision in pursuit of every politi- 
cal object. But it is with pride I can say, that among 



OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE. 61 

all true Masons, their zeal and rancor are much softened 
and controlled, on such occasions, by the fraternal rela- 
tion in which they stand to each other. Yet, was I a 
candidate for an elective office, and wished favoritism 
shown me on account of belonging to any particular 
society; I would sooner join some popular religious 
society, and depend on its members for favoritism, than 
I would ask it, or expect to receive it, from the Masonic 
fraternity. 

" This institution has existed under all civilized gov- 
ernments, and has never interfered with the concerns 
of any ; although the most despotic have looked upon 
it with a jealous eye on account of its republican or 
democratic principles. The Pope of Rome, who in 
ages past has held the control of, and been the ac- 
knowledged umpire between, all the crowned heads of 
Europe, and arbiter of the fate of nations, has issued 
his bulls, and sent forth his anathemas against the 
Order, and has caused the appalling horrors of the In- 
quisition to be brought in requisition to suppress it. 
The despots of several of the nations of that country 
have, at times, used all their arbitrary powers to ex- 
terminate it in their respective deminions, and although 
many brethren have fallen martyrs to their faith under 
the hands of these ruthless tyrants, the institution has 
escaped unscathed, and even uncondemned, by its most 
inveterate enemies. Through all these persecutions, it 



62 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

has never been made to appear that Masons, as such, 
interfered, or attempted to interfere, with the concerns 
of the governments under which they resided. This 
amounts to almost proof positive, that they have, in 
this matter, strictly adhered to the requirements of the 
Order, and to the course they were under obligations 
to pursue."* 

Such was the testimony of a brother in 1840 ; such 
has been the testimony of many long before ; such is 
the testimony of impartial history, and such will be 
the testimony of all in ages yet to come. 

As Masons, we never have been, we never can be v 
engaged in political strife. But, in accordance with 
its benign object and practice, Freemasonry leaves the 
political, as we have seen it does the religious, opinions 
of the sons of light to their individual taste and choice. 
As in religion, so in politics, it binds them not to the 
particular creed of any nation or party, exacting 
only acquiescence in that in which all men are agreed, 
viz : that to the civil powers that be obedience is due, 
" for they are the ministers of God to do His pleasure." 
If, then, a Mason should be so unfortunate as to place 
himself in rebellious attitude to the civil government 
under which he lives, far from engaging with him, as 
Masons, let his cause be right or wrong, we are en- 

* Address of Bro. Ebenezer Mix, N. Y., Oct. 1, 1840. 



OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE. 63 

joined by this old Charge, " not to countenance him in 
his rebellion, however he may be pitied as an unhappy 
man." Yet he cannot be expelled from the Order, 
" and his relation to it remains indefeasible." But 
though, as rebel to his government, he cease not to be 
a Mason so far as our private obligations to him are 
concerned, these require us not to aid him in his rebel- 
lion. To do this we must act in character and capacity 
other than those of Masons. 

It is well to look closely at the distinction here 
drawn between the Masonic and the civil character of 
a brother, for it runs through all the relations of life. 
Though the moral law, as I have said in the former 
lecture, is made part and parcel of Masonic law, and 
every violation of the former is necessarily a violation 
of the latter, subjecting the offender to the penal dis- 
cipline of Freemasonry, yet in things indifferent, non- 
essential, or such as lie in theory and not in practice 
— as in what politics a man believes, or in what form 
of religious worship — while we are forbidden to hold 
converse in our congregated capacity as Masons in our 
lodges, perfect freedom is yet allowed us as individual 
men and citizens. Therefore, though we cannot, as 
Masons, uphold a brother in his opposition to the laws 
and opinions of society, political or religious, we are 
yet to respect those opinions in him which lead him to 
that opposition, and, carefully distinguishing between 



64 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

factious aid of his unlawful enterprises, we are not to 
withhold from him, for that cause, the Masonic relief 
and sympathy he is by our mystic tie entitled to. 

But the relief and sympathy bestowed are relief and 
sympathy for his misfortunes as a man, not as a rebel, 
or malcontent to government ; for we gather from this 
Charge that our obligations cease to be imperative 
when they conflict with the laws of civil society. 
There is no hypocrisy in Freemasonry. She not only 
recommends to the children of light " sincerity and 
plain dealing" among themselves, but is careful to 
observe the same in regard to the world. No well- 
instructed, intelligent Freemason will acknowledge or 
believe that Freemasonry could, at the same time, pre- 
scribe obedience to the civil powers, supreme and sub- 
ordinate, and encourage or allow resistance or opposi- 
tion to the same. The brother who sets his face 
against the civil powers, " however he may be pitied 
as an unhappy man," cannot receive aid in his resist- 
ance from his brethren. Their obligations do not ex- 
tend that far. The obligations of Freemasonry are to 
be construed together, and only regarded binding as 
they are consistent, the parts with the whole, and the 
whole with its parts. 

For our conduct in regard to God and our country, 
Freemasonry is content to give us certain cardinal pre- 
cepts only, well knowing that these are of themselves 



OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE. 65 

able, if observed in good faith and with honest intent, 
to make us " good men and true" in the discharge of 
those high duties. Love God and honor the civil 
powers, is its only injunction. Do this, and it matters 
not with what theories about them we are severally 
concerned. 

This careful exclusion of religious topics from our 
lodges constitutes one of the main elements of the Pil- 
lar of Wisdom in the East, and again enters into the 
composition of the Pillar of Strength in the West, of 
whose component parts, in perfect proportion mixed, 
is reared the glorious Pillar of Beauty in the South ; 
so that to the Worshipful Master and Senior Warden 
more especially belongs the enforcing, with the assist- 
ance always of the craft, due obedience on their part 
to those cardinal precepts in the lodge ; while it is 
more particularly the province of the Junior Warden, 
with the like assistance, to superintend the harmonious 
working of the hive when abroad, which is the result 
of their practice. 

But what do we learn from this Ancient Charge 
further ? Be not deceived. It is not intended that, 
because a brother, who shall be so unfortunate as to 
fall, right or wrong, into treasonable practices towards 
the civil government, cannot, for that cause, be expelled 
from our Order, but his Masonic rights remain to 
him unimpaired and indefeasible, therefore, the profane 



66 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

and factious in spirit are not to have such spirit im- 
puted to them, as objection, when they apply for admis- 
sion to our sacred mysteries. This were to carry the 
spirit of this old Charge beyond what it legitimately 
implies. There is much due, much of positive obliga- 
tion, much of negative obligation — obligation of active 
service, and obligation of forbearance to him who is 
already our brother ; but to these obligations the pro- 
fane applicant for the benefits of Freemasonry is an 
utter stranger ; we are under no such obligations to 
him ; he hath no part or lot in them. True, his 
petition deserves, and should receive at our hands, re- 
spectful consideration, and he is entitled to our care, 
that we will not, as honorable men, do him or his 
character unnecessary wrong. His claim can go no 
further. His application to be received of us is 
voluntary, and he ought to be prepared to hear of any 
disposition of his case by us not unjust to him, without 
surprise. Rejection of his application is no injustice 
to him. He has no right to a fellowship with us, and 
where there is no right there can be no wrong. And, 
seeing if he be one " carried about by every wind of 
doctrine," with a spirit of discontent, and insubordinate 
to civil authority, unquiet, factious, .turbulent. this alone 
is enough to make us doubt his fitness for associa- 
tion with us, who have ever prided ourselves on the 
contrary spirit, and to have all our passions subdued, 



OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE. 67 

and " turned as on the axle of discipline," and it would 
be our duty to reject him. 

Thus we see more clearly there is much truth in my 
definition of Freemasonry, as the Science of human 
life. The concern it has for a proper discharge of our 
duty to God and our country, without infringement of 
those private personal rights which are the gift of 
God Himself, renders the definition just; and, as we 
continue these lectures, we shall find its minute care 
for the social and private duties we owe to each other 
and to mankind will make it more apparent. 

The evening's lecture is done. I have spoken, as I 
thought just, in a Masonic view, of the civil magis- 
trate, supreme and subordinate ; let me hope, forbid- 
ding and unpromising as the subject might at first ap- 
pear, it has been not without some profit to you and to 
me. 



LECTURE III. 

How is it then, Brethren ? When ye come together, every- 
one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a 
revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto 

edifying. 

1 Cor. xrv. 26. 



[69] 



LECTURE III. 



III. OF LODGES. 

Brethren : — Having, in my two former lectures, 
shown the dependence of Freemasonry upon obedience 
to the moral, and its obligations to the municipal law ; 
how naturally and necessarily the one grows out of 
the other, and that a Freemason cannot, in any just 
consistence with his obligations, refuse or neglect to 
pay that obedience, I come, now, in the order of these 
Charges, to consider the working organization of Free- 
masonry, and the duty each brother owes to the Order, 
in the necessary part he should take in that organiza- 
tion ; and, also, of the qualifications requisite in those 
applying to be admitted to participation in our rights 
and duties. 

The particular topic of this evening's lecture, then, 
cannot fail to interest every one who, having entered 
the portals of our mystic temple, if he have the com- 
mon attributes of a rational being of uncorrupt in- 

(71) 



72 MORAL DESIGN OP FREEMASONRY. 

tegrity, must desire to be informed of his rights and 
duties in this behalf. 

Thus reads the Ancient Charge : 

" A Lodge is a place where Masons assemble and 
work ; hence that assembly, or duly organized society 
of Masons is called a Lodge, and every brother ought to 
belong to one, and to be subject to its by-laws and the 
general regulations. It is either particular or general, 
and will be best understood by attending it, and by the 
regulations of the general or Grand Lodge hereunto 
annexed. In ancient times, no Master or Fellow could 
be absent from it, especially when warned to appear 
at it, without incurring a severe censure, until it ap- 
peared to the Master and Wardens that pure necessity 
hindered him. 

" The persons admitted members of a lodge must be 
good and true men, free born, and of mature and dis- 
creet age — no bondmen, no women, no immoral or 
scandalous men, but of good report." 

Here we have the sensible figure of a lodge under 
two aspects : the one denoting the place where Free- 
masons duly assemble for work, and the other the body 
of Masons themselves thus duly assembled, "just as," 
to use the language of one of the old editions of the 
Charges, 1738, " the word Church is expressive both of 
the congregation and of the place of worship," and as, 
in familiar parlance now, the two houses of Congress 



OF LODGES. 73 

may mean either the rooms, or halls in which the 
senators, or representatives of the people respectively 
assemble, or the respective bodies themselves. In 
the first sense, I might instructively speak of the situ- 
ation, the form and extent, the ground and covering, 
and the necessary furniture of a lodge ; but, besides 
that these are sufficiently set forth and taught in the 
regular lodge lectures, it does not comport with the 
design of these lectures that I should discourse of 
them at length, but rather of that mystic and spiritual 
lodge, or temple, of which every Freemason is, or 
should be, a member. 

And this, it would be a source of delight, perhaps 
not unprofitable, to contemplate in its vast dimensions 
reaching, as it does, over every part of the habita 
ble globe, or, as some of the learned, but enthusiastic 
of the brethren have contended, over the universe 
And, in one sense, indeed, it is no stretch of the im- 
agination to conceive the whole universe a lodge, with 
God on His throne in the centre, the principle of broth- 
erly love, " peace and good-will " to all creatures, em- 
anating and flowing from Him to the farthest limits of 
immeasurable space. Our lodge lectures themselves, 
to convey the idea of the universality of Freemasonry, 
describe the lodge as extending from east to west, 
from north to south, from the surface to the centre, 

and from the earth to the heavens. But our business 
4 



74 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

will be rather to consider the lodge in its more confin- 
ed sense, divided', as the Charge does it, into General, 
or Grand, and Particular, or Subordinate Lodges. 

But, first, of the lodge in the abstract : Free- 
masonry, being the Science of human life, like every 
science, requires that it should be taught, and that the 
necessary schools for this purpose be provided. Ac- 
cordingly, we have our excellent and learned brother 
Anderson, in his history, thus expressing himself on 
the revival of Masonry in Italy, in the 16th century : 
" The Masons began to form new lodges (called by the 
painters academies or schools, as all true lodges ought 
to be), read lectures, communicated their secrets and 
hints of knowledge, and performed all other good old 
usages, that are preserved among Masons to this day, 
and perhaps will be to the end of time."* 

And, according to another pious and excellent 
brother,! " A Masons' lodge is a school of true, useful, 
and universal science ; it is the house of wisdom, and 
where wisdom presides there must surely be the school 
of science." . ..." In this school, i. e. a Masons' lodge, 
geography, astronomy, philosophy, with all the liberal 
arts, are, or ought to be, the subject of our lectures, 
and are in those lectures, when properly delivered, so 
plainly and so familiarly expatiated upon and explain- 
ed, that while the most refined understanding may be 

* Entick, 1756, p. 69. t Inwood. 



OF LODGES. 75 

elegantly improved and luxuriously regaled, the mean- 
est capacity, unless totally closed against all its own 
good, cannot depart wholly empty away." . ..." In 
this school, a Masons' lodge, with scientific ardor we 
are led to trace the structure and explore the deep 
foundations of that wondrous fabric built by nature's 
God ; and here, different from many of the schools of 
human wisdom, we want no human arguments to prove 
the glory, or the reality of His existence, for it is the 
peculiar province of Masonic science to direct her 
improving sons to study Nature, to study her in her 
most unaffected garb, and in all her works to view 
with the eye of faith and pious adoration her incom- 
parable Master Builder." 

And, again, our learned Brother Oliver says, " a 
lodge of Masons is a school for the practice of science 
and good manners ; and a microcosm, or representa- 
tion of the universe. From a principle of piety to the 
Most High, its pursuits lead to a knowledge of virtue, 
both moral and social, and the exercise of those cour- 
tesies which produce confidence and mutual esteem 
betwixt man and man."* 

The lodge is a school indeed ; in its large sense 
the grandest and greatest of all schools ; the grandest, 
because it covers, in its extent, every nation, and peo- 
ple, and kindred, and tongue, under the sun ; and the 

e Book of the Lodge. 



76 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

greatest, because its first great doctrine concerns the 
knowledge of the greatest of all beings, the one only 
true God, the uncreated Lord of all Life, and Master of 
all powers and beings and things ; and in its teachings 
it comprehends the whole duty of man — the Science 
of human life. Here are enforced, with peculiar effect, 
the four cardinal Virtues (the first of which, in usual 
order, as Freemasonry places them, is Temperance, 
itself conducing in an eminent degree to length of 
days), and those virtues in the exercise of which reside 
the elements of true happiness here, and the rational 
hope of happiness hereafter. 

But I have thought, we are behind our ancient 
brethren, at least those of Italy in the sixteenth century, 
who, according to Dr. Anderson, besides performing 
" all other good old usages," " read lectures," and 
" communicated their secrets and hints of knowledge," 
in that we do not nowadays avail ourselves as we 
ought of this privilege and duty of the lodge. 
Brethren, the ambition of the Masons of to-day is too 
much for work — work, technically so called. Ask a 
brother, at any time, if he will go to lodge to-night, 
and ten to one he will answer, in the Yankee mode, 
by himself preferring the question — Is there any work 
to do ? Shame on the Freemason who is ever without 
work. With a world full of ignorance and misery 
around him ; with a heart full of evil passions in his 



OF LODGES. 77 

own breast, and a nature prone to evil ; with brethren 
like himself in nature and in heart, to whose interests 
he is solemnly pledged and bound by a mystic tie, how 
can he ever be in want of work ! And then, in the 
lodge, what a field is opened unto him ! How vast the 
means for instruction, for edifying, has Freemasonry 
in its arrangements within itself! If, instead of what 
we technically call " work," and which now has come 
to be applied only to our labor on neiv material, we 
would look more to the condition and wants of the 
old, and by communicating "hints of knowledge," 
" reading lectures," &c, seek to improve ourselves and 
the brotherhood, how much more interesting and edify- 
ing would be our lodge meeting ! 

So common is the use of the word edify now for 
instruct — to teach — that you have not noticed, perhaps, 
its singular propriety to a Masonic discourse. The 
words of Saint Paul, " Let all things be done unto edi- 
fying," have a peculiar fitness of application to our 
mysteries. They literally refer to house, or temple- 
building ; in which figure is the very life and soul of 
all our mysteries. This is the very cardinal idea of 
Freemasonry. The erection of a moral and spiritual 
temple in the soul to God is its whole business. And 
this is the literal expression of the Apostle. lidvra 
TTpbg olitodofiTjv yiveodo) are the words in the original 
Greek. The Latin Yulgate has preserved the symbol- 



78 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

ism — Omnia ad cedificationem fiant ; and our English 
translators have faithfully rendered it into our tongue 
in the word edifying, which comes directly from the 
Latin. 

But, besides that the lodge is a school, it is, as every 
brother will own to have often felt it, a sacred and 
very dear retreat from the wasting toils and cares of 
life in the world ; a retired spot, whither we may 
withdraw for a brief season from the strife and the 
battle, and from the pure fountains of Freemasonry 
refresh ourselves for further struggle. And I have 
always thought, though lexicographers content them- 
selves with deriving the word from the French, it had 
better be referred to Saxon origin ; for, in the word 
itself, there seems to me to be a peculiar meaning, 
generic to our language, and the idea of Best never 
fails to associate itself with the word Lodge in my 
mind. I doubt not, too, did time and place permit, I 
could show, by abundant extracts from our best writers, 
that this idea has uniformly attached to the word in 
their use of it. But, whatever be the general sense of 
the English word, and though our Fathers had no refer- 
ence to this sense in first naming the tyled assemblages 
of Freemasons, lodges, yet in Freemasonry it is true, 
from the uniform character and objects of such assem- 
blages, the word lodge hath come to have, legitimately, 
the idea of rest connected with it. 



OP LODGES. 79 

A lodge, as defined in our lectures, is held symboli- 
cally, to represent the world, with its constant demands 
and occasions for labor and refreshment, in this life, 
yet with the clouded canopy above, ever reminding us 
of the peaceful reward of final rest and happiness to 
be attained at the last by the aid of that theological 
ladder, whose principal rounds are Faith, Hope, and 
Charity. And well does this agree with my definition 
of Freemasonry as the Science of human life. For, as 
the due exercise of faith, hope and charity will cer- 
tainly smooth our own, as well as the paths of others 
here, so will it certainly bring us to the enjoyment of 
that life to come, which is the only true end of all life ; 
while the due succession of labor and refreshment, and 
the duties taught by Freemasonry in regard to each, in 
a peculiar manner prepare the brother for the proper 
discharge of every occasion of life. 

It was from a conviction of the truth and propriety 
of this definition, that our Brother Oliver condemns 
the disuse of refreshments in the lodge. The Science 
of human life, to be complete, must arm its professor 
as well against the abuse of refreshment as of labor. 
And in this sense must be construed his language, 
when, regretting the removal, at the Union in 1813, 
of the tables of refreshment, he says, " The Author of 
our being has better understood the nature of man. 
He has assigned hours for labor and hours for refresh- 



80 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

ment ; and he has appointed certain physical appear- 
ances, to determine beyond .the possibility of mis- 
take, the recurrence of those stated periods of time. 
The sun rises in the East, and calls him to labor ; it 
gains its meridian in the South, and summons him to 
refreshment ; and it sets at length in the West, to re- 
mind him that repose is necessary to restore his ex- 
hausted strength for another day of toil. On this 
principle Freemasonry was originally founded ; and 
no squeamish taste, or fastidious opinion, ought to in- 
duce us to abandon it. The practice has received the 
sanction of all antiquity, and forms one of the un- 
changeable landmarks of the Order."* 

A lodge, according to the lectures of our English 
brethren, is " an assembly of Masons, just, perfect, and 
regular, who are met together to expatiate on the mys- 
teries of the Order ; just, because it contains the vol- 
ume of the sacred law unfolded ; perfect, from its num- 
bers, every order of Masonry being virtually present 
by its representatives to ratify and confirm its proceed- 
ings ; and regular, from its warrant of constitution, 
which implies the sanction of the Grand Master where 
the lodge is held."t From this definition it will be 
seen, the perfection of the lodge is made to consist in 
the equality of every order, or degree, in the general 
business of the craft. And it conclusively shows that 

* Book of the Lodge. f Ibid. 



OF LODGES. 81 

the business of the lodge was uniformly transacted, as 
it is at this day in England, in the Entered Apprentice 
degree, as in no other, according to the admitted num- 
bers, 3, 5, and 7, of the three degrees respectively, could 
it be said that such equality would be certainly repre- 
sented. 

In the Charge I am considering lodges are divided 
into particular and general, or, as we call them, Sub- 
ordinate and Grand. Anciently, our brethren, as con- 
venience or necessity required, opened their lodges 
when and where they pleased, selecting their Master 
for the particular occasion, and made brothers at pleas- 
ure, always observing, but subject only to the land- 
marks, and acknowledged general laws, usages and 
regulations of the craft. What these laws, usages 
and regulations were, or should be, was determined by 
more imposing annual congregations of the craft called 
General Assemblies, where only the degrees of Fellow- 
Craft and Master Mason were conferred. These irregu- 
lar, impromptu lodges were usually dissolved with the 
occasion which called them into being ; though it is 
not to be doubted, that lodges did, at some points, 
assume a more permanent organization, as we find the 
four old lodges in London, which met respectively at the 
Goose and Gridiron in St. Paul's churchyard, at the 
Crown in Parker's Lane, at the Apple-tree Tavern in 
Charles Street, Covent Garden, and at the Rummer 



82 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

and Grapes Tavern in Channel Row, Westminster, 
claiming, in 1717, certain prescriptive rights, as lodges." 

But it must not be supposed that even these Gen- 
eral Assemblies had the right to interfere with the 
known ancient landmarks of the Order, though it is 
generally allowed they were composed of all orders 
of Masonry indiscriminately, and hence expressed the 
highest legislative, judicial and executive powers of the 
whole craft. Nor did they assume to control the par- 
ticular lodges, whose rights were the inherent rights 
of the whole fraternity, nor at all to interfere with 
their proceedings, except by the enactment of general 
regulations, affecting the well-being of the whole fra- 
ternity. They claimed no special fealty, or subordina- 
tion from the particular lodges, as lodges, to their au- 
thority. 

Yet, though I concur in the belief that the General 
Assemblies were composed of all degrees of Masonry 
indiscriminately, I confess I have been somewhat stag- 
gered by a passage in the ancient poem of the 14th 
century, published by Halliwell, which certainly speaks 
only of Masters as composing those Assemblies. Thus, 

<: The second artycul of good masonry, 
As ye mowe hyt here hyr specyally, 
That every Mayster, that ys a Mason, 
Most ben at the generale congregacyon, 

* Ashmole, Preston. 



OF LODGES 83 

So that he hyt resonably y-tolde 
When that the semble' shall be holde ; 
And to that semble' he most nede gon, 
But he have a resenabul skwsacyon, 
Or but he be unbuxom to that craft, 
Or with falsehed ys over-raft, 
Or ellus sekenes hath hym so stronge, 
That he may not come hem amonge ; 
That ys a skwsacyon good and abulle, 
To that semble withoute fabulle."* 

In this, it is noticeable, only Masters are mentioned as 
required to be at the Assembly, and nothing is said of 
Wardens, or Fellows, or '"Prentices. It is well, in 
passing, to remark how strict the duty of attendance 
was held to be so far back as the 14th century. 

Yet, it is certain, that Grand Lodges in England, 
since 1717, have been promiscuous ; for, in the 
XXVIII Old Regulation, adopted in 1721, wherein 
provision is made for the decent forming of the Grand 
Lodge at its annual assembly, one of the reasons 
assigned for the precautions taken is, " to consult 
about whatever concerns the decency and decorum of 

* My attention was first called to this by my M. W. and learned 
Bro. fm. S. Rockwell. The curious reader will find a copy of the 
poem in second volume Hyneman's Masonic library, in 2 vol. Free- 
masons' Magazine, and in Am. Freemason, vol. 2. I believe it is also 
to be found in the IT. M. L., but I have not the volume. In the 
twelfth poynt, Masters and Fellows are both mentioned, and in a new 
ordinance, alia ordinacio, it is said, " alle the men of craft ther most 
ben," but the duty of attendance seems to have been most imperative 
on Masters. 



84 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

the Grand Assembly, and to prevent all indecency and 
ill manners, the assembly being promiscuous" And 
again, in Art.XXXIX it is provided that all New Reg- 
ulations proposed shall be submitted in writing to the 
perusal of all the brethren, " even of the youngest 
entered apprentice." 

But since the year 1717, commonly noted as the 
year of revival of Masonry in England, and as a con- 
sequence of which revival these old Charges were pub- 
lished for the more certain enlightenment and guid- 
ance of the craft, the brethren, by common consent, 
have fallen under a new law of organization ; for they 
then conferred supreme power upon the Grand Lodge, 
on the sole condition, that the ancient Landmarks of 
the Order be at no time infringed. And it was agreed 
that, " if any set or number of Masons shall take upon 
themselves to form a lodge without the Grand Master's 
Warrant, the regular lodges are not to countenance 
them nor own them as fair brethren and duly formed, 
nor approve of their acts and deeds ; but must treat 
them as rebels, until they humble themselves, as the 
Grand Master shall in his prudence direct, and until 
he approve of them by his warrant, which must be 
signified to the other lodges, as the custom is when a 
new lodge is to be registered in the list of lodges." * 

By which it appears, that particular, or private 

* 0. Reg. viii. 



OP LODGES. 85 

lodges, as they are sometimes indiscriminately called, 
have become subordinate to the Grand Lodges, and are 
so designated in this country, at this day. From them 
are all their powers derived ; and without their coun- 
tenance and authority they cannot lawfully exist. 
Any number of Masons who assemble and undertake 
to perform any of the peculiar rites, or exercise any of 
the privileges of Freemasonry, without the warrant of 
a duly constituted and legal Grand Lodge, is held to be 
clandestine ; and against such every brother knows he 
is specially bound to set his face. To legitimate 
Subordinate and Grand Lodges only, then, as at present 
recognized, must the following remarks be applied. 

A Grand Lodge is that assembly of Masons within a 
given jurisdiction, composed of the representatives of 
the Subordinate Lodges within the same limits, and such 
other members of the fraternity as may be designated 
by its constitution, having supreme control of ancient 
craft Masonry, or, under the system which prevails in 
this country, of the three first degrees within its juris- 
diction. There can exist only one legal Grand Lodge 
in the same jurisdiction. It seems to be a received 
doctrine, that to organize a Grand Lodge de novo in un- 
occupied territory three lodges legally existent are 
enough ; though according to precedent it would seem 
four should be requisite, as that was the actual number 
which instituted the Grand Lodge of England, with 



86 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

whom the present system of Grand Lodges originated. 
Dermott, as the exponent of the schismatics, self-styled 
" Ancients," required five. But this was evidently, by 
casting a reflection on the organization of the true 
Grand Lodge of England, to bolster his own false pre- 
tensions. 

In England the acknowledged representatives of a 
lodge are the Master and Wardens ;* but as this is a 
constitutional provision, the principle of representation 
being once conceded by the fraternity, as a fraternity, 
and not as lodges, each Grand Lodge may determine 
for itself who shall have seats and be entitled to 
membership in its own body. Yet, as anciently, the 
general assemblies were organized upon the principle 
of a pure democracy, the whole fraternity having a 
voice in its deliberations, so now, it would seem more 

* ;< Themajority of ever}- particular lodge, when congregated, shall have 
the privilege of giving instruction to their Master and Wardens before 
the assembling of the Graud Chapter, or lodge, at the three quarterly 
communications hereafter mentioned, and of the annual Grand Lodge 
too : because their Masters and Wardens are their representatives, and 
are supposed to speak their minds." — Old Regulations, Art. x. 

Since the Union of 1813 "the immediate Past Master" has been 
added to the representatives of the lodge, and according to the pres- 
ent Constitutions of the Grand Lodge of England he still retains that 
office, as will be seen by the following language: "The majority of 
the members of a lodge when congregated, have the privilege of giving 
instruction to their Master, the immediate Last Master, and Wardens, be- 
fore the meeting of the Grand Lodge ; because such officers are their 
representatives and are supposed to speak their sentiments." — Cons. 
G. L. of Eng. Private Lodges, Sec. 24. 



OF LODGES. 87 

consistent with Masonic principles to admit the 
largest representation compatible with prudent and 
safe legislation. 

When I have said that the authority of a Grand 
Lodge is supreme within its jurisdiction, having no 
restriction save that imposed by the ancient Land 
marks, which it, no more than any other power, can 
lawfully infringe, I have said all that need be said, in 
this place, concerning such assembly. Only, it is 
proper to remark, that its regular meetings are usually 
quarterly, or annual, or both ; the annual meetings 
being those at which the general interests of the craft 
more particularly receive attention. 

Of Subordinate Lodges I must speak more at large. 
Though the limits of this lecture will not admit of 
any thing like a full enumeration of their powers and 
privileges,' I must yet say something of the requisites, 
the rights, powers and privileges of a lodge. 

After the legal number of Masons, 3, 5, or 7, have 
assembled, it is requisite that the necessary furniture 
of the lodge be present, or it cannot lawfully work. 
The necessary furniture of a lodge are the Holy Bible, 
the square and compasses, and the charter or warrant 
of constitution from competent authority empowering 
them to work. All these must be present in the lodge 
to render its work perfect and legal. They are called 
the necessary furniture, because, without them all 



88 MORAL DESIGN OP FREEMASONRY. 

present, the work of the lodge would not be legal. 
It is further requisite to make the work legal, that 
there be one in the East qualified, according to the 
ancient usages of the craft, to preside. 

Our ancient brethren met sometimes on the tops of 
hills, or in the depths of valleys : which situations 
themselves suggest the reason for their adoption for 
purposes of meeting, the great object being the 
ensuring of secresy and security against the intrusion 
of cowans and eaves-droppers. And, so that this end 
is obtained, there is nothing to prevent the assembling 
and working of Masons now in similar situations, 
proper precautions being had to guard against cowans 
and eaves-droppers. But, modcrnly, Masons meet in 
halls constructed with special reference to security 
from intrusion. 

Brother Oliver says, " The W. Master's place is in the 
East, to call the brethren to labor ; the J. Warden is 
placed in the South, to cheer and encourage them at their 
work ; and the S. Warden, in the West, to dismiss them 
from their daily toil. And the lodge was so con- 
structed, that if a cowan was caught listening, or prying 
into the business of Masonry, he was punished by 
1 being placed under the eaves in rainy weather, to 
remain exposed to the droppings till the water ran in 
at his shoulders, and out at his heels.' " * This is a 

<* Book of the Lodge. 



OF LODGES. 89 

curious ancient mode of punishment, and well explains 
the derivation of the word " eaves-dropper." Some 
say, that from the circumstance of the houses having 
projecting roofs, which afforded facilities for cowans 
hiding, and dropping to the ground when detected, 
arose the term. Let either conjecture be correct — 
perhaps both are — to Masonry is our language in- 
debted for the word. 

But, besides the officers enumerated above, there are 
others recognized, some more and some less in differ- 
ent jurisdictions, as every brother will remember, while 
the Tiler must be admitted an officer indispensable to 
the lodge. 

Lodges may work under either dispensation or war- 
rant of constitution. I will not enter upon a discus- 
sion of the difference between a dispensation and a 
warrant, or charter, as I could not do justice to the 
subject in the limits of this lecture, and the brother 
anxious for light on this head will find it in works al- 
ready published by able brethren, learned in the laws 
and customs of the brethren. 

For the same reason I pass the ceremonies of con- 
secration, dedication, constitution, and installation of 
officers, as these will be found set forth at large in the 
various manuals. 

Every Subordinate Lodge has the exclusive right to 
admit to or exclude from its own membership ; and 



90 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

this right is beyond the control of the Grand Lodge, 
not subject to dispensation, being one of the reserved 
rights of old, inherent in them, and not delegated to 
the Grand Lodge. As Old Regulation VI. expresses 
it : " No man can be entered a brother, nor admitted 
to be a member thereof, without the unanimous consent 
of all the members of that lodge then present when the 
candidate is proposed ; and this consent is formally 
asked by the Master ; and they are to signify their 
consent or dissent in their own prudent way, either 
virtually, or in form, but with unanimity. Nor is this 
inherent privilege subject to a dispensation, because 
the members of a particular lodge are the best judges 
of it, and if a fractious brother should be imposed upon 
them it might spoil their harmony or hinder their free- 
dom, or even break and disperse the lodge, which ought 
to be avoided by all good and true brethren." Here, 
it will be seen, the conclusive reason, which ought to 
satisfy every mind, is given why unanimity is so strict- 
ly required in every act of affiliation. In this par- 
ticular, the supremacy of the Grand Lodge over the 
Subordinate Lodge is limited by the primitive consti- 
tutions of the Order. Indeed, it is only in its organ- 
ization, and general legal operations under it, and in 
its Masonic fidelity, a particular lodge can strictly be 
said to be subordinate to any power ; for, while it has 
existence, its acts may be both general, affecting the 



OF LODGES. 91 

interests of the whole fraternity, or local, having ref- 
erence only to the interests of its own private mem- 
bership. Thus, it makes Masons, which is an act that 
concerns the welfare of the whole fraternity, and, 
therefore, is of general character, and should be per- 
formed according to the recognized ancient usage of the 
craft ; in the Subordinate Lodge, too, reside the power 
and duty of discipline over all Masons within its juris- 
diction ; this, also, is of general interest ; and these, as 
all acts which affect the general interests of the frater- 
nity, are subject to the supervision and control of the 
Grand Lodge. But its acts of a private character, and 
such as affect only its own local interests and welfare, as 
its private fiscal concerns and membership, as we have 
seen, are not so subject. This is a distinction it will 
be well to bear in mind. 

Every Subordinate Lodge has the right to instruct 
its representatives in the Grand Lodge ; to frame its 
own by-laws, observing always the general regulations 
of the Grand Lodge, and preserving the ancient Land- 
marks of the Order ; to suspend, or exclude from its 
membership, but not to expel from the Order, except 
with the sanction of the Grand Lodge ; to manage and 
direct its fiscal concerns ; and all according to the 
will of a majority of its members. But it cannot 
resign its charter, or warrant of constitution, so long 
as seven Master Masons, belonging to its membership, 



92 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

are willing to retain it, and perform the business of 
Masonry under it. 

Every Subordinate Lodge is bound, equally with the 
Grand Lodge, to preserve inviolate the ancient Land- 
marks ; and, therefore, it cannot initiate a candidate 
without due notice and examination into his character, 
and without unanimity in the ballot ; nor confer more 
than two degrees on the same candidate, nor make 
more than fire new brethren, at the same communica- 
tion, without dispensation from the proper authority. 
And every Subordinate Lodge owns exclusive juris- 
diction over the material within its own territorial 
limits, which may be defined by the Grand Lodge ; 
and the right to finish the work it has begun, accord- 
ing to its own designs — the same being consistent with 
ancient usage. 

There are important duties belonging to the officers 
of the lodge, with which every brother is supposed to 
become acquainted by attendance on the lodge, and by 
his own reading and investigation, (without which no 
one can become " bright,") as well as peculiar rights 
aud duties attaching to every member, but which, 
besides that they will be treated of more properly under 
succeeding heads of these old Charges, I will not treat 
of here, preferring to consider the lodge, according to 
the main design of these lectures, in its more attrac- 
tive and endearing character of a school. I have al- 



OF LODGES. 93 

ready shown it has been ever so regarded by the 
wisest and best of the brotherhood. Now, it is in the 
Subordinate Lodges we are to look for those schools 
of virtue, and the practice of those social courtesies 
which tend so much to sweeten life, and administer 
comfort to the mind distracted and disturbed by the 
fretting turmoil of a selfish, rushing world. It is there, 
in the constant intercourse with each other and inter- 
change of sentiment and of feeling, we learn to ac- 
knowledge the common destinies of our race ; to feel 
for the misfortunes, and to rejoice in the prosperity of 
our brethren. It is there we learn the work of Mason- 
ry, and from its ritual and its symbols to draw the 
wisdom implanted and impressed by the inspired 
sages and poets of the days of the theocratic rule of 
Israel. There we may learn the truth, the great truth 
of human life, late to be perceived, but once felt, sus- 
taining, consoling, ennobling, hallowing, that only by 
suffering ourselves, and feeling for them who suffer, 
we become elevated to a position nearer to our lost 
inheritance of paradise. It is there we learn to feel, 
with an elegant writer,* " It is not necessary merely 
that power, beauty and wisdom lead to the conception 
of God's goodness and love, but that suffering, by per- 
fecting patience, by teaching knowledge, should, while 
humbling man's pride, elevate his position and put into 
« Gilfillan. 



94 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

his hands the most powerful of all telescopes — that of 
a tear. ' Perfect through suffering ' must man become ; 
and, then, how do all apparent enemies soften into 
friends ! how drop down all disguises, and misfortunes, 
losses, fevers, falls, deaths, stand out naked, detected, 
blushing lovers." There we learn to feel the God-like 
luxury of relieving human woe. Of all the schools, is 
there any can compare with this? And then, too, the 
philosophy it teaches — is it not the same that the Divine 
Master gave in that most sublime of sermons on the 
mount ? 

My brethren, is not the lodge, when properly con- 
ducted, a school, in the sense I have described it? 
And if so, does it not behoove us all to attend more 
diligently its meetings, and more assiduously to prac- 
tice its lessons ? Let us come to the lodge in the 
right spirit, with an honest desire to be humble, to 
learn to subdue our passions, to communicate our 
hints of knowledge, to inquire of the need of our fel- 
lows and brothers — aye ! and of all our brethren of 
the fallen human family, and, so far as in us lies, to con- 
tribute to their relief. It is not always that money is 
the best aid we can offer to a struggling, fallen brother. 
Money we may be in want of ourselves, and cannot 
give ; but more than money, often, will the sympathy 
of our hearts and the kindly warmth of our counsel 
and encouragement raise the drooping spirits, and re- 



OF LODGES. 95 

store life to the desponding heart of the stricken 
mourner. We all have these to give ; let us not with- 
hold them. In so much as we do this, will we approxi- 
mate the divine character of Him who is, or ought to 
be, the exemplar to all of woman born. 

There is one duty this old Charge inculcates I must 
not pass without notice, which is, that " every brother 
ought to belong to" a lodge. The Charge itself informs 
us, that " in ancient times no Master, or Fellow, could 
be absent from it, especially when warned to appear at 
it, without incurring a severe censure, until it appeared 
to the Master and Wardens that pure necessity hin- 
dered him." And, as if this did not clearly enough 
define the duty of affiliation, we have, in the VIII. 
Old Regulation, the following more explicit language. 
"No set or number of brethren shall withdraw or 
separate themselves from the lodge in which they were 
made brethren, or were afterwards admitted members, 
unless the lodge becomes too numerous ; nor even then, 
without a dispensation from the Grand Master or his 
Deputy ; and when they are thus separated, they must 
either immediately join themselves to such other lodge 
as they shall like best, with the unanimous consent of 
that other lodge to which they go (as above regulated), 
or else they must obtain the Grand Master's warrant 
to join in forming a new lodge." 

We have seen, too, in the quotation from the old 



96 MORAL DESIGN OP FREEMASONRY. 

poem of the 14th century, how strict were our ancient 
brethren in this regard. The duty is clear ; and we 
cannot evade it in view of our solemn pledge to sup- 
port and conform to the old usages and laws of the 
fraternity, which these Charges and Regulations em- 
body and set forth. For such as are wilfully neglect- 
ful of these I have no word. 

It remains that I should consider the last clause of 
this Charge, which concerns the qualifications of can- 
didates. Its language is direct and explicit. " The 
persons admitted members of a lodge must be good 
and true men, free born, and of mature and discreet 
age — no bondmen, no women, no immoral or scandalous 
men, but of good report." 

Initiation and membership then meant, as in some 
jurisdictions it does now, the same thing. Or, to speak 
more accurately, every initiate became at once a mem- 
ber of the lodge in which he was made. 

In the enumeration of qualifications in this Charge, 
only the moral, intellectual and social requisites are 
given. To these I will confine my remarks, leaving 
the physical qualification to be treated of in its due 
place in the order of these lectures. 

And first, of the moral qualification. I have, in my 
first lecture, shown that the moral law is at the founda- 
tion of all Masonic law ; and that on a due observ- 
ance of it depend all the rights and privileges of a 



OP LODGES. 97 

Mason. But this had reference to the brother already 
made. The Charge before us shows that an observance 
of the moral law must also be regarded as a prerequi- 
site to admission to our mysteries. The candidate 
must be, in his moral character, " good and true, no 
immoral or scandalous man, but of good report." 
Either of these terms implies an observance of the 
moral law. This is a necessary qualification, and its 
strict requirement is one of the ancient Landmarks 
which no man or set of men may lawfully innovate 
upon. The very safety as well as usefulness of our 
Order depends upon a strict enforcement of this re- 
quirement. And though we may have variant notions 
of how much the moral law requires of us, and some 

difference of opinion may arise as to who should be 

■ 

esteemed " good," this difference never can be so great 
but the most latitudinarian in his views, if he be hon- 
est in those views, would exact enough to ensure the 
qualification in this regard. 

But the Charge says " good and true." It requires 
one whose character will warrant the reasonable ex- 
pectation that he will remain faithful, true to his obli- 
gations ; one who will not fail in the hour of trial, 
but, like that incorruptible Grand Master of old, 
whose memory lives fresh in the hearts of his brethren 
to this day, embalmed in the invincible integrity of his 
character, will preserve, with like fortitude, his integ- 



98 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

rity against every assault. We should be persuaded 
that he will observe faithfully all the obligations of a 
Mason. These are mutual ; and every candidate should 
bring a guarantee in his character that he will render 
to me the measure he expects from me, and which I am 
bound to render unto him. If he fail to inspire me 
with confidence in him to this extent, he must not ex- 
pect me to enter into such obligation to him. In the 
words of Bro. Pike : " If I believe that a man will 
not, in good faith and with all his heart, comply with 
all his Masonic obligations to me, through penurious- 
ness, selfishness, indolence, personal antipathy, or any 
other like defect of character, I not only may, but I 
ought to refuse to assume those obligations toward 
him ; and none have a right to ask my reasons. Is it 
a wrong I do a man if I choose not to invite him to 
my house, if he be of a temper and disposition that I 
do not like and cannot agree with ? Surely, if I may 
do that, I may refuse to bind myself to him by Masonic 
ties."* Though these are are not strictly moral de- 
fects, yet they are social, and, I believe, present just 
grounds for the rejection of a candidate. 

Secondly. — The candidate must be " of mature and 
discreet age." In different ages and in different 
countries the precise age of majority, or maturity, has 
been various. In England, the candidate was at one 

* Ark. Rep. For. Cor., 1854. 



OF LODGES. 99 

time required to be twenty-five years old, and in 
France, if he was the son of a Mason, he was admitted 
at the age of eighteen. Among most peoples of Anglo- 
Saxon lineage, the legal age of maturity has, for a long 
period, stood at twenty-one. Bat, without reference 
particularly to this, the language of the Charge points 
more directly to the intellectual qualification of the 
candidate. This ought to be at least respectable in 
nature, and in some degree improved by culture. It 
has been decided by the Grand Lodge of England that 
one who cannot write is ineligible to admission to our 
mysteries. Many cogent reasons will present them- 
selves in support of this decision. Without some 
previous discipline and culture of the mind it can 
hardly be conceived that it will make any progress to 
the right understanding and appreciation of our secrets. 
Masonry is taught symbolically, and though of all 
teaching that of symbols is the most impressive and 
lasting, yet, rightly to perceive and construe them, re- 
quires no little grasp of mind. It is only when they 
are so perceived that they are truly understood and 
relished ; and, if the fact could be ascertained, I doubt 
not the large majority of drones in our hive, the un- 
affiliated, is made up of such as, never having perceiv- 
ed, have never truly felt the beauty of our symbols. 
Whenever, then, we have reasonable doubts of the 
capacity of the candidate to learn and to admire these, 



100 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

we ought, without scruple, to reject him. In such an 
one the level of Masonry is destroyed. To admit 
such is positive injustice to the candidate himself. In 
this connection, brother Mitchell, in the November 
number of the Signet & Journal, for 1856, makes these 
pertinent remarks : " A usage, believed to be greatly 
older than the Grand Lodge system, gives to every 
brother in good standing the right to demand of his 
brethren, in case he is called to travel, a diploma, and 
that document is incomplete and worthless, if it has 
not upon its margin the signature of the brother who 
holds it ; indeed, this is the only unmistakable evi- 
dence which it is in his power to produce to strangers 
that his diploma is not a forgery. The Master and 
Wardens, who grant the diploma, must certify that 
the brother has signed his name in the margin, and a 
stranger has only to require the holder to re-write his 
name on a slip of paper and compare it with the sig- 
nature on the margin, to prove the genuineness of the 
certificate of good standing. I need scarcely inquire 
whether any Master and Wardens, much less any 
Grand Master and Grand Wardens, would under- 
take to issue a diploma with none other than the 
brother's mark in the margin. The law, as well as 
common sense, requires one or more witnesses to prove 
that the party in their presence made his mark, and 
we at once see that no brother could travel in foreign 



OF LODGES. 101 

countries, and be expected to have his subscribing 
witnesses with him. How, then, shall a brother who 
cannot write his name obtain a diploma ? n 

Thirdly. — The candidate must be "free born,no bond- 
man, and no woman." These terms speak for them- 
selves. God, in his inscrutable wisdom, ages ago decreed 
that the "son of the bondwoman should not inherit with 
the son of the free," and Masonry has handed down the 
restriction to us, even to this day. It is not for us to 
question its propriety now. It stands a Landmark we 
dare not remove, and it is unwise in us to discuss it ; yet 
there are those who have argued its wisdom from the 
fact, that bondage leaves its traces on the descendants of 
the bond, to the remotest generations, so as to disquali- 
fy them for the enjoyment of like equal privileges with 
the free. Doubtless there is much of truth in this reason- 
ing ; but, true or false, thus stands the law, and him that 
is not free born, him that is a bondman, we must reject. 

But the words of the Charge imply more — even that 
the candidate should have such social position among the 
free, as would not bring discredit on the standing of our 
ancient and honorable fraternity. The honor of Masonry 
must ever be a prime consideration with Masons; and in 
passing upon the fitness of candidates, every brother 
should remember that on him rests the responsibility of 
deciding what material is proper to be used in the 
building of the temple. This responsibility he cannot 



102 MORAL DESIGN OP FREEMASONRY. 

devolve upon another ; it is Ids duty, inalienable and un- 
transferable. Let every brother look that he discharge 
that duty with an eye single to the good of Masonry. 

Woman, too, by this Charge, is excluded from a share 
in our mysteries. And this, also, is a Landmark which 
may not be removed, and so might not require that I 
should defend its justice. But without adverting to the 
stereotyped reasons assigned for her exclusion, I will 
content myself with saying, that I regard it the highest 
compliment that could have been paid to woman. 
Such was the influence of her smile on the first man, 
that for it he sacrificed paradise to his whole race ; 
and such is her winsome influence still, there would be 
danger lest we turn from the grave and solemn labors 
of the lodge, were she present, to court her smile again. 
You may smile, brethren, at this avowal, but even 
while you do, you must own its truth. Our fathers, 
doubtless, knew this well, and forever removed the 
sweet danger from the lodge. Let us be content. 
Not until we have entered the celestial lodge above, 
will we be able to bear uninterrupted happiness. 

Thus, my brethren, have I considered the third of 
the old Charges. I trust the time spent in its consider- 
ation will not be regarded lost. If I may receive 
assurance that a single brother has profited thereby, 
be it ever so little, I shall feel amply rewarded for 
whatever pains I have had in preparing this lecture. 



LECTUEE IV. 

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit. 

1 Cor. xn. 4. 



(103) 



LECTURE IV. 



IV. OF MASTERS, WARDENS, FELLOWS 
AND APPRENTICES. 

Brethren : — The student in Masonry is often ar- 
rested and impressed by the thought of the wonderful 
consistency of its system. In Masonic writers, this is 
evidenced by their frequent application of the epithet 
u divine " to the Institution ; induced as much, evident- 
ly, by their reluctance to attribute to mere human wis- 
dom, unaided by inspiration from on high, its marvel- 
lous perfection, as by the pure morality it inculcates. 
As the organized, even-poised vehicle of instruction in 
the Science of human life to, not one family, or kindred, 
or people, or nation, or tongue, but to the whole human 
race, it were, indeed, requisite that it should have and 
keep this perfection and consistency. But the marvel 
is no less. Nor will it fail to impress us more and 

5* (105) 



106 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

more, as we proceed in the consideration of these 
old Charges. 

In my first lecture, I defined Freemasonry to be 
the Science of human life ; and I think, with the close 
of the series, the proposition will have been demon- 
strated to the satisfaction of every reflecting, candid 
mind. The basis of the science was developed in my 
first lecture ; and in my third, and next preceding this, 
I endeavored to show (with what success 'tis not for 
me to say) that our lodges are the proper schools 
provided in the system, for the due inculcation of the 
practical objects and fruits of the science. But a science 
to be taught must be provided with teachers. And 
now, pursuing the order of the Charges, I come to 
consider the teachers, and in some particulars the 
pupils of the science ; though these last will not 
demand a full notice at my hands, until I reach the 
sixth and last of these old Charges, which treats of 
their duties at large. 

The old Charge, which will occupy our attention this 
evening, is in these words : 

" All preferment among Masons is grounded upon 
real worth and personal merit only ; that so the lords 
may be well served, the brethren not put to shame, 
nor the Royal Craft despised : therefore no Master, or 
Warden, is chosen by seniority, but for his merit. It 
is impossible to describe these things in writing, and 



OF MASTERS, WARDENS, FELLOWS, ETC. 107 

every brother must attend in his place, and learn them 
in a way peculiar to this fraternity : only, candidates 
may know that no Master should take an Apprentice, un- 
less we have sufficient employment for him, and unless 
he be a perfect youth, having no maim or defect in his 
body, that may render him uncapable of learning the 
art, of serving, his Master's Lord, and of being made a 
brother, and then a Fellow- Craft in due time, even after 
he has served such a term of years as the custom of 
the country directs ; and that he should be descended 
of honest parents ; that so, when otherwise qualified, 
he may arrive to the honor of being the Warden, and 
then the Master of the lodge, the Grand Warden, 
and at length the Grand Master of all the lodges, ac- 
cording to his merit. 

"No brother can be a Warden until he has passed 
the part of a Fellow- Craft ; nor a Master until he has 
acted as a Warden, nor Grand Master unless he has 
been a Fellow- Craft before his election, who is also to 
be nobly born, or a gentleman of the best fashion, or 
some eminent scholar, or some curious architect, or 
other artist, descended of honest parents, and who is 
of singular great merit in the opinion of the lodges. 
And for the better, and easier, and more honorable 
discharge of his office, the Grand Master has a power 
to choose his own Deputy Grand Master, who must be 
then, or must have been formerly, the Master of a 



108 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

particular lodge, and has the privilege of acting what- 
ever the Grand Master, his principal, should act, un- 
less the said principal be present, or interpose his au- 
thority by a letter. 

" These Rulers and Governors, supreme and suboi*- 
dinate, of the Ancient Lodge, are to be obeyed in 
their respective stations by all the brethren, accord- 
ing to the old Charges and Regulations, with all 
humility, reverence, love and alacrity." 

The first thing we note in this Charge is the broad 
enunciation of the principle, that without merit there 
is no true honor. "All preferment among Masons is 
grounded upon real worth and personal merit only." 
This principle is universal in its application. It lies 
deep at the foundation of all republics, and ought to 
be congenial with the accustomed sentiments of this 
audience. The poet — and poet is but another name 
for teacher ; the true poet is always a teacher — ac- 
knowledged the truth of this principle when he writ 
the often quoted lines, 

" "Worth makes the man, the want of it the fellow; 
The rest is all but leather and prunella." * 

And again, 

" Honor and fame from no condition rise ; 
Act well your part — there all the honor lies.' ' * 



Pope. 



OF MASTERS, WARDENS, FELLOWS, ETC. 109 

It must not be a dead, inactive, slumbering merit, 
however, but a merit exhibiting itself in works. For, 
as that most practical of the Roman poets has said, 

" Paulum sepultse distat inertise 
Celata virtus," * 

concealed merit little differs from hidden sloth. 
Either, except it discover itself, is as it were not. 
Indeed, Christianity itself endorses and vivifies the 
same principle ; for in the same breath in which the 
apostle teaches, that before God we may not be justi- 
fied by works, he teaches, also, that works are yet the 
necessary fruit and evidence of our faith. They are 
the consequential fruit of it, as heat of light, as the 
green leaf is the sign and surety of life in the tree. 
Like all the great principles of Freemasonry, this 
principle is not only universal, but eternal too. If the 
eternity of God be sure, then must all great true prin- 
ciples partake of His eternity, for they are the heart- 
pulsations of God. 

Masters, Wardens, Fellows, and Apprentices, are all 
named in the Charge ; and though their rights and 
duties are mostly left to implication, since, as the 
Charge says, " It is impossible to describe these things 
in writing, and every brother must attend in his place, 
and learn them in a way peculiar to this fraternity," 

*Hor. 



110 MORAL DESIGN OP FREEMASONRY. 

yet 1 may, without transgression, venture, to some ex- 
tent, on the subject. 

Masters and Wardens are the prescribed, author- 
ized teachers in Masonry. Their duties, therefore, are 
important, and intimately concern the good of Ma- 
sonry. In every regular lodge there are, or ought to 
be, three pillars or columns, commonly called the three 
principal supports of the lodge, symbolically represent- 
ing Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty ; and these again 
are mystically represented in the persons of the Master 
and Wardens : " Because," as our Lectures teach, " it 
is necessary there should be wisdom to contrive, 
strength to support, and beauty to adorn, all great and 
important undertakings. " The Master is presumed to 
be endowed with wisdom to contrive, the Senior War- 
den to be in possession of strength to support, and the 
Junior Warden of beauty to adorn. " And this," says 
Bro. Oliver, "explains the disposition of the lodge. 
The Worshipful Master is placed in the East, to repre- 
sent the sun at his rising in the morning, that he may 
open his lodge, and employ and instruct the brethren 
in Masonry ; to whom it is his duty to communicate 
light ; forcibly impressing upon their minds the dig- 
nity and high importance of Freemasonry, and zeal- 
ously admonishing them never to disgrace it. So that 
when a person is said to be a Mason, the world may 
know that he is one to whom the burdened heart may 



OF MASTERS, WARDENS, FELLOWS, ETC. Ill 

pour forth its sorrows ; to whom the distressed may 
prefer their suit ; whose hand is guided by justice, and 
whose heart is expanded by benevolence. The Junior 
Warden is placed in the South, that he may observe 
the sun at its due meridian, which is the most beautiful 
part of the day, to call the men from labor to refresh- 
ment, and from refreshment to labor, that pleasure and 
profit may be the mutual result ; while the Senior 
Warden takes his station in the West, that at the set- 
ting of the sun he may dismiss the men from their 
labors, to renew their strength by rest, and close his 
lodge by command of the Worshipful Master, after 
seeing that every brother has had his due."* It will 
be seen from the regular succession of rest, labor, and 
refreshment in all this, as in all its teachings, that 
Freemasonry contemplates all the occasions of life, 
and in this asserts its title to be regarded the Science of 
human life. 

But it is of Masters and Wardens, as teachers, I 
have to speak. And first, of Masters. 

Seniority never did entitle a brother to preferment ; 
yet, anciently, as this old Charge discloses, it was held, 
and is law now, that no brother can be " a Master 
until he have acted as a Warden." The following ob- 
servation from Preston, though made in a different 
connection, furnishes the reason for this law. " He 

* Book of the Lodge. 



112 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

who wishes to teach," says that judicious brother, 
" must submit to learn ; and no one is qualified to sup- 
port the higher offices of the lodge who has not pre- 
viously discharged the duties of those which are sub- 
ordinate. Experience is the best preceptor. All men 
may rise by gradation, and merit and industry are the 
first steps to preferment."* 

Our ancient brethren were particular, exceedingly, 
in the selection of a Master, and required him to be 
possessed of many qualifications, not now deemed so 
imperatively necessary. He was required to be of the 
first social position in society, " noble born," that the 
honor of the fraternity might not suffer in his person ; 
that he should be eminent for scholarship, or skill in 
the arts, that he might be the better able to illustrate 
and beautify the business of Masonry ; and that he 
otherwise be " of singular great merit in the opinion 
of the lodge." 

It is doubtful if relaxation in these requirements 
has been productive of true benefit to Freemasonry. 
In this remark, however, I would not be misunderstood 
by my brethren. The singular great merit which 
should belong to him who is chosen Master of a lodge, 

* Illustrations. Since this was written, my M. W. and learned Bro. 
Rockwell, in a report to G. L. of Georgia, 1857, has ingeniously en- 
deavored to explain away the words of the Charge, and would not have 
previous service as Warden a requisite to election to the Mastership. I 
admire the ingenuity of his argument, but cannot adopt his conclusions. 



OF MASTERS, WARDENS, FELLOWS, ETC. 113 

should be such as he has exhibited before his brethren 
in the lodge. I have no voice, in Masonry, for that 
merit, I care not how eminent, which remains unaffili- 
ated with Masons, keeps aloof from the lodges. 
Kather would I bestow the highest honors in Masonry 
on the humblest true brother who has remained faith- 
ful to his vows and his work in the lodge, than on him 
who has been false to those vows, and truant to that 
work, though he occupy the topmost station in so- 
ciety. 

But, though birth and station are no longer neces- 
sary to the Master, especially in this country, there 
are other qualifications of which the Master should be 
possessed that must not be overlooked. Clothed with 
supreme authority over his lodge, — governor, ruler, 
teacher, — he should unite in himself many gifts and 
qualities, to enable him to discharge properly the high 
and important trusts and duties of his office. To give 
an idea of these, I quote from Bro. Oliver, who thus 
comprehensively sets them forth : 

" The Master ought to possess knowledge to diversify 
his instructions ; judgment, to preserve the happy me- 
dium between rashness and cowardliness ; talent, to 
address the brethren at length on every emergency ; 
tact, to conciliate disputes, and reconcile contending 
brethren ; and presence of mind, to decide correctly on 
any sudden indiscretion, or irregularity which may 



114 MORAL DESIGN - OP FREEMASONRY. 

occur amongst the members of the lodge, that order and 
good fellowship may be perfect and complete. He 
should always bear in mind that a strict and unwaver- 
ing adherence to the laws, on every practicable point, 
will never produce rebellion, although temporary dis- 
satisfaction may sometimes occur. But it is always 

shortlived 

" The Master may be easy in his manners, and cour- 
teous in disposition, but he must beware how he per- 
mits any kindness of heart to interfere with stringent 
duties, or to tolerate disobedience to the laws of Ma- 
sonry. It has been said, with equal judgment and 
truth, that there is no praise so lightly accorded as 
that of being a good-hearted man at the bottom. It is 
often bestowed on men guilty of notorious vices, and 
utterly devoid of principle. The secret of this strange 
appropriation of evil lies in the unstinted toleration 
with which such characters behold the faults of others. 
A good-hearted man at the bottom will give his hand in 
amity to the living representative of almost any crime 
or weakness that can disgrace humanity. He will 
poor-felloio the desperate gamester ; good-fellow the des- 
perate drunkard ; and fine-fellow the desperate liber- 
tine ; in return for all which good-heartedness he ex- 
pects to receive plenary indulgence for all his own 
irregularities of every description whatever. It will 
be easily seen that such a good-hearted man at the 



OF MASTERS, WARDENS, FELLOWS, ETC. 115 

bottom would make but an indifferent Master of a 
lodge. Its respectability would soon be compromised 
under such rule, and its members would dwindle away 
till none remained. The Pillar of Wisdom must be of 
a very different character While he over- 
looks trifling and unimportant deviations, it is his 
bounden duty to enforce the discipline of his lodge 
by a strict observance of the Landmarks, and by a 
judicious attention to every rule whose breach might 
compromise any prominent principle of the Order. 
He must never exercise partiality, or be detected in 
the slightest bias in favor of individuals ; but when fine 
or punishment is incurred, he must be firm in his deci- 
sions, and prompt in the enforcement of any sentence 
which may be found necessary to promote the welfare 
of Masonry in general, or his own lodge in partic- 
ular. 

" A brother who possesses all these qualifications, will 
rule and govern his lodge with honor to himself and 
satisfaction to his brethren ; it will represent a well- 
regulated and happy family, where harmony and 
brotherly love will prevail amongst the members ; 
fraternal affection will preside, untainted with strife 
and discord ; the community will endeavor to pro- 
mote each others' welfare, and rejoice in each others' 
prosperity ; the Order will become respectable in the 
sight of men, and the Master will retire from his 



116 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

government crowned with all the honors the fraternity 
can bestow. 

" The character of a good Master may be summed 
up in a few words. He has been invested with power, 
that he may promote the happiness and prosperity of 
the lodge. For this purpose, he considers that when 
he undertook the office his duties were greatly increas- 
ed, embracing many points which require his utmost 
attention and solicitude. He feels that much will 
depend on his own example, for how excellent soever 
the precepts which he enforces may appear, they will 
lose half their value if they be not borne out and veri- 
fied by his own practice. This is the mainspring 
which actuates and gives vitality to the whole machine. 
If his power be exercised tyrannically, the brethren 
will not love him ; if he allow the reins of government 
to be too much relaxed, they will despise liim ; if he 
be irregular and dissolute in his habits, they will con- 
demn him. He must be a pattern of correctness to his 
lodge, and never allow his authority to be pleaded in 
extenuation of any serious delinquencies 

" He allows no innovations to be practised in the 
ceremonial or mechanism of the Order ; no private 
committees or separate conversation amongst the 
brethren, but keeps them rigidly attentive to the 
business before them ; no jesting or ludicrous behav- 
iour which may disturb the serious avocations in which 



OF MASTERS, WARDENS, FELLOWS, ETC. 117 

they are engaged ; no disputes or unbecoming lan- 
guage amongst themselves ; and while, during the mo- 
ments of relaxation, he enjoys himself, in common with 
the rest of the brethren, with innocent mirth, he care- 
fully avoids all excess, and never suffers the harmony 
of the lodge to be disturbed by any altercations on the 
forbidden subjects of religion or politics ; and, before 
closing the lodge, he cautions them, in the language of 
the Ancient Charge, ' to consult their health by not 
continuing together too late, or too long from home 
after lodge hours are past, and by avoiding of gluttony 
or drunkenness, that their families be not neglected or 
injured, and themselves be disabled from working.' 

" He is regular in his habits, both in the lodge and 
in the world ; punctual to a moment in opening and 
closing the lodge, as a stimulus to the correct attend- 
ance of the brethren, — for nothing shows to so much ad- 
vantage in the Pillar of Wisdom as this exactness with 
regard to time. In performing the rites of Masonry, 
whether in the initiation of candidates, the delivery of 
lectures, or other routine business, he exhibits a seri- 
ousness of deportment and earnestness of demeanor 
which attract the attention, interest the feelings, and 
contribute to recommend the beauties of the system, 
while they inform the understanding and improve the 
heart. 

" There is still another point of great moment to the 



118 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

well-being of a lodge, which depends in some measure 
on the correct judgment of the Master, and that is, the 
proper choice of candidates for initiation. The good 
Master will firmly resist the admission of any person 
whatever whose character does not correspond with 
the requisitions contained in the Ancient Charges. The 
candidates must be good and true men, free born, and 
of mature and discreet age, and sound judgment, no 
bondmen, no women, no immoral or scandalous men, 
but of good report, for all preferment amongst Masons 
is grounded upon real worth and personal merit 
only."* 

A Master should be well acquainted with the ancient 
laws, usages and customs of the fraternity, and the 
edicts and regulations of the Grand Lodge, as it is his 
special duty, to the discharge of which, at his instal- 
lation, he is solemnly pledged, not only to observe 
them himself, but to enforce their observance on the 
brethren. To this end his authority in the lodge is 
supreme, and his decisions final, and not subject to 
appeal, except to the Grand Lodge, to whom alone he 
is responsible for his acts, and who look to him solely 
for the proper conduct of his lodge, and the advance- 
ment of Freemasonry. 

This is a comprehensive role of accomplishments, 
rarely united in one person ; but though all. are sel- 

Q Book of the Lodge. 



OF MASTERS, WARDENS, FELLOWS, ETC. 119 

dom to be met in one, the chief and most of them 
should be found in him the brethren are moved to 
make their Master and teacher. 

Secondly — Of Wardens : 

The Wardens are also teachers, assistants to the 
Master, when present, in the government of the lodge 
and the general conduct of the business of Masonry, 
and in his absence, supplying his place and exercising 
his authority. But only one at a time. The power 
of the Master of the lodge is in many respects a one- 
man power, and only one can exercise it at the same 
time. So, if the Master be absent and both Wardens 
present, the authority of the Master devolves upon the 
Senior Warden, as next in dignity, and the Junior 
Warden will act as Senior Warden, his own station 
being filled by pro tempore appointment by the acting 
Master. But if both Master and Senior Warden be 
absent, then the Junior Warden presides as Master, 
and fills both the vacant Wardens' stations by pro 
tempore appointment, at his pleasure.* 

* In an article on the rights and duties of Wardens, penned for the 
April number (1856) of the Signet &f Journal, I was led by the reasoning 
of Bro. Mackey into the error of confining the Junior Warden to his 
station, except in the absence of both Master and Senior Warden. 
After stating the right of the Senior Warden to preside in the absence 
of the Master, and of the Junior Warden to preside in the absence of 
both Master and Senior Warden. Bro. Mackey says, "But if the Master 
and Junior Warden be present, and the Senior Warden be absent, the 
Junior Warden does not occupy the West, but retains his own station, 



120 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

In the system of Freemasonry, the Senior Warden 
presides over the brethren in the hours of labor, and 
the Junior Warden in those of refreshment. Each 
in his sphere is a teacher ; and it behooves each to 
teach as well by example as by precept. 

From the importance of the office of Warden, it is 
evident the same care should be had in their selection 
as in that of a Master. At any moment they may be 
called to discharge his duties and fill his office. And 
they should be an example to their brethren of dili- 
gence and assiduity in the duties of their several 
stations. " Regularity of attendance is an essential 
part of this office, because if the Master should die, or 
be removed, or be incapable of discharging the duties 
of his office, the Senior Warden must supply his place 

the Master appointing some brother to occupy the station of the Seniof 
Warden ; for the Junior Warden succeeds by law only to the office of 
Master, and unless that office be vacant, he is bound to fulfil the duties of 
the office to which he has been obligated. ' ' * The reasoning is ingenious 
and forcible, but usage is against it. Not only do I find the contrary to 
be the almost universal custom at this day, but in the Constitutions by 
Anderson, edition 1756,f the following intimation of the usage then : 
li The Grand Master with his deputy, Grand Wardens and Secretary, 
sh ill at least once go around and visit all the lodges about town, during 
his Mastership. 0. R. 20. Or else he shall send his grand officers to 
visit the lodges. This old and laudable practice often renders a 
deputy necessary : and when he visits them, the Senior Grand Warden 
acts as deputy, the Junior as the Senior, as above." Against a usage so 
old as this, and so general as 1 believe this to be, no mere reasoning, 
however plausible, should prevail. 

*Prin.Mas.Law,p. 126. t Pp. 286,287. 



OF MASTERS, WARDENS, FELLOWS, ETC. 121 

until the next election of officers ; and even should the 
Master necessarily be absent from any single lodge, the 
Senior Warden must rule the lodge ; " * and, as al- 
ready noticed, in the absence of both Master and 
Senior Warden, the Junior Warden succeeds to the 
office of Master. 

Nothing, I confess, lowers the Masonic standing of 
a brother more in my opinion, than negligence of duties 
he has voluntarily assumed. No plea of sacrifice of 
time, or demands of ordinary secular business, can 
justify it. It is disrespectful to the brethren who 
have conferred the distinction upon him. It is a 
violation of Masonic obligation. It is no less than a 
practical abnegation of Masonic teaching : for Free- 
masonry teaches, in her own peculiar and emphatic 
way, that we should not aspire to any office whose du- 
ties we are not competent, or free, to discharge, honor- 
ably to ourselves and profitably to our brethren. Tell 
me not that he, let his professions be what they may, 
understands, or, if he understands, feels or cares for 
the sacred objects and noble teachings of Freemason- 
ry, who is content, not only to sacrifice his own profit 
by absenting himself regularly from the labors of his 
brethren, which he has, with his own consent, perhaps 
wish, been specially appointed to oversee, but thereby 
to obstruct the profit of others. Such an one may be 

* Book of the Lodge. 0. Regulations. 
6 




122 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

self-deceived, but he cannot deceive his brethren. If 
this language appears strong, my brethren, it is not 
stronger than the feeling that prompts it. I take it to 
myself. If ever I find myself neglecting, or even 
reluctantly discharging the duties of any station in 
which it may please my brethren to place me, seal me 
with the seal of your censure, and cast me aside among 
the rubbish of the Temple. My heart will justify you 
in the melancholy, poignant reflection, I have deserved 
it. 

This Charge, like all the rest, not only exhibits the 
perfect level upon which all Freemasons meet, but also 
indicates very clearly, though quaintly, the regular 
progression which obtains in the school, the lodge, to 
a full acquisition of the science taught, and the honors 
that may be expected to accrue upon that acquisition. 
" Candidates may know that no Master should take an 
Apprentice, unless he have sufficient employment for 
him, and unless he be a perfect youth, having no maim 
or defect in his body, that may render him uncapable 
of learning the art of serving his Master's Lord, and 
of being made a brother, and then a Fellow-Craft in due 
time, even after he has served such a term of years as 
the custom of the country directs ; and that he shall be 
descended of honest parents ; that so, when otherwise 
qualified, he may arrive to the honor of being the 
Master of the lodge, the Grand Warden, and at length 



OF MASTERS, WARDENS, FELLOWS, ETC. 123 

the Grand Master of all the lodges, according to his 
merit." 

I eschew all reference to what is styled the " opera- 
tive character " of Freemasonry, as remote from the 
design of these lectures, and therefore, construe " the 
Master's Lord " to mean no other than the Great 
Master Builder Himself. It is to Him our lodges — 
schools — are erected, and to His service consecrated. 
For Him, and to His praise do we raise that spiritual 
Temple, in which each brother is, or ought to be, a 
" living stone." His most rational Temple each broth- 
er is exhorted to make his own heart ; according to 
those words of the holy St. Paul, — " Know ye not that 
ye are the temple of God ? " 

In this view, I am able briefly to dispose of the in- 
junction " no Master should take an Apprentice, unless 
he have sufficient employment for him ; " and which, 
otherwise, will admit of discourse too large for this 
occasion. For, if the work be the Great Master 
Builder's, we can have no employment for him who 
fails in those moral qualifications Freemasonry re- 
quires in the candidate. The work of such will not 
be acceptable in the Lord's sight. We cannot obtain 
good and square work from such, if we employ 
them. It is out of the nature of things. The Divine 
Master Himself pointed this out. " Do men gather 
grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles ? Even so, every 



124 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

good tree bringeth forth good fruit ; but a corrupt 
tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot 
bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring 
forth good fruit." 

Before I proceed to the consideration of the physical 
disqualification of the candidate, which this Charge 
declares, I pause for a moment, to notice the unvarying 
regard Freemasonry owns for chastity, and the dis- 
allowance it makes for all taint of doubtful birth. 
Not only here, but elsewhere in these Charges, is to be 
met the requisition of the candidate, " that he be de- 
scended of honest parents." In this it verifies its own 
descent from the possessors and cultivators of true 
religion. For, though among the patriarchs, polyg- 
amy was, to some extent, practised and allowed, 
(though not to the enormous degree the pretended 
revivers of their authority and customs in Utah would 
carry it,) yet marriage was ever held among them as of 
divine intendment and force ; and only to one wife was 
confined the full enjoyment of its sacred rights and 
privileges. So, too, in all history, monogamy has been 
always regarded a distinguishing mark of the moral 
sense, if not the refinement of a people. Alas, that 
in any language, among any people, refinement should 
come to be regarded separately from morality ; that 
morality should not be considered essential to refine- 
ment ! I fear, however, such has been the fate of our 



OP MASTERS, WARDENS, FELLOWS, ETC. 125 

own language ; for, in our school-books, in our his- 
tories, and in our periodical literature, that dissolute 
people, the French, are said to be the most refined of 
nations, while their gross deficiency in morals is ad- 
mitted in the same sentence. This has almost become 
stereotyped in our language, to the detriment of our 
moral sense ; for, by frequent repetition a lie may come 
to be taken for the truth ; and so, this speaking of 
refinement as unconnected with morality will come, if 
it has not come already, to weaken our right concep- 
tion of their true relations. There can be no true 
refinement without morality. Freemasonry has pre- 
served itself intact from this error. Looking deep 
into the relations of things, with eye ever single to its 
great end, it disdains to dally with vice. And hence, 
it stands out a Landmark, prominent among its Land- 
marks, that he of doubtful birth cannot partake of the 
privileges of the sons of Light. A bastard cannot be 
made a Mason. It is proper that I should add, in 
this connection, that this Landmark is overlooked, or, 
at least, is not strictly insisted on in this country ; 
perhaps, at this day. It stands among the Landmarks 
still, however. 

In the progression of the candidate to the several 
degrees, the Charge refers to a necessary probation of 
" due time, even after he has served a term of years, as 
the custom of the country directs." In my last lecture, 



126 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

I alluded to the fact that only Apprentices were made 
in the particular lodges, the degrees of Fellow- Craft 
and Master Mason being conferred in the Grand 
Lodge, or, as it was then called, the General Assem- 
bly ; the Old Regulation being — " Apprentices must be 
admitted Fellow- Crafts and Masters only here, unless 
by a dispensation from the Grand Master."* But, 
from the unfrequent meeting of that body, not always 
annually, as we gather from the Old Regulations, it 
might well, and did often, happen, that even years 
would elapse before the Apprentice could receive the 
higher degrees. But, after the present Grand Lodge 
system was established, and it was ordained, in 1725, 
that " the Master of a lodge, with his Wardens, and a 
competent number of the lodge, assembled in due form, 
can make Masters and Fellows at discretion,"* the 
same difficulty did not exist, and the time of probation 
was shortened. And now, " the custom of the country" 
varies under different jurisdictions, some requiring a 
longer and some a shorter probation ; but nowhere 
should it be less than one month. f I would prefer to 
see it longer, and that the " suitable proficiency" in the 

* Const. 1756, p. 280. 

t In Georgia, it is, in most of the lodges, only one fortnight — their 
stated meetings being twice a month. I have no objection to the time 
of meeting, but work ought not to be done regularly oftener than once 
a month. 



OF MASTERS, WARDENS, FELLOWS, ETC. 127 

preceding degree made by the candidate, and required 
by our laws, be proved to the satisfaction of the breth- 
ren, in open lodge. 

I come now to consider the physical disqualifications 
of a candidate. It is not necessary that I should 
attempt an enumeration of these ; the language of the 
Charge is explicit enough : " unless he be a perfect 
youth, having no maim or defect in his body." There 
are peculiar reasons why a candidate for our mysteries 
should be il a perfect youth, having no maim or defect 
in his body," which, without special reference, every 
brother will at once readily perceive. But, besides 
these, this old Landmark commends itself for the per- 
fect consistency of its symbolic reference. It is on 
this account I have ever held to the strictest construc- 
tion of the words of the Charge, and have disagreed 
with those who contend for a more latitudinarian 
view. 

Two of the reasons furnished in the Charge for the 
physical disqualification of the candidate, viz : that 
he would thereby be " uncapable of learning the art," 
and " of being made a brother," are too obvious to need 
exposition ; but they may admit of a loose construc- 
tion. The other, viz : his incapacity to serve " the 
Master's Lord," will not, and on it I shall a moment 
dwell. I have already adverted to this, in connection 
with the subject of "sufficient employment." Its ap- 



128 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

plication to the physical disqualification of a candidate 
will further justify the interpretation of the phrase, 
" The Master's Lord," to mean the great Master Build- 
er Himself. It is to its symbolism we are to look for 
the principal force of the meaning and application of 
the Landmarks of Freemasonry. Viewed through its 
medium, from arbitrary or meaningless requirements, 
they loom up into significant and just Landmarks, 
beautiful in their perfect consistency with the system. 

Our Most Worshipful Brother Rockwell has so well 
applied this test to this Landmark, that I prefer to 
quote at length from him. 

" When the posterity of Aaron," says this learned 
brother, " were constituted the perpetual priesthood 
of the Hebrews, all who had a blemish were prohibited 
from sharing in the ordinance. ' No man that hath a 
blemish, of the seed of Aaron, shall come nigh to offer 
the offerings of the Lord made by fire ; he hath a 
blemish, he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of 
his God : he shall eat the bread of his God, both of 
the most holy and the holy ; only he shall not go in 
unto the veil, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he 
hath a blemish, that he profane not my sanctuaries, for 
I, the Lord, do sanctify them.' The same rigid re- 
quisition characterized the priesthood of idolatrous 
nations, manifestly derived from a common source. A 
noble Roman was driven from the Pontificate because 



OP MASTERS, WARDENS, FELLOWS, ETC. 129 

he had lost an eye and an arm while endeavoring to 
save the sacred image of Yesta from the flames that 
consumed her temple. Still later we find a reference 
to this rigid rule in the writings of the great Apostle 
to the Gentiles, whose peculiar language falls in fa- 
miliar tones on the Mason's ear, and indicates that he, 
as well as our patron saints, to whom we dedicate our 
lodges, was not ignorant of our mysteries. In this, 
the early origin of our Order, and the peculiar duties 
devolving on its members, as conductors of the national 
education and ministers of the national religion, we 
find at once the rule and its construction. The insti- 
tution of Masonry, as we have it at this day, has 
descended from the age of Moses to that of Solomon, 
thence to the Christian era, preserved among the 
Jewish sect of religionists known as Essenes, and 
from them (if not by them) propagated throughout the 
world, wherever the gospel of Christianity spread its 
influence. We cannot resist quoting the opinion of 
the Rev. Dr. Clarke upon this apparently harsh and 
unnecessary restriction. ' Never/ says he, ' was a 
wiser, a more rational and a more expedient law en- 
acted relative to sacred matters.' And again he says, 
1 It is an eternal law, founded on reason, propriety, 
common sense, and absolute necessity. 7 

" Aside from the argument derived from the letter of 
the law, its relaxation destroys, in an eminent degree, 
6* 



130 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

the symbolical relation of the Mason to his Order. 
The writer of these views has often had occasion to 
note the consistent harmony of the entire ritual of the 
craft, in considering the esoteric signification of its ex- 
pressive symbols. We teach the Neophyte that the 
wonderful structure which rose by command of Solo- 
mon to be the visible dwelling-place of the God of 
Israel, was built ' without the sound of axe or hammer, 
or other tool of iron being heard in the building, 
wooden instruments alone being used to fix the stones 
of which it was constructed in their proper place. 
1 Stone and rock,' says M. Portal, ' on account of their 
hardness and the use to which they were put, became 
(anioug the Egyptians) the symbol of a firm and stable 
foundation. Relying on the interpretation of the 
Hebrew by one of the most celebrated Hebrew schol- 
ars of Germany, we shall consider the stone as the sym- 
bol of faith and truth. Precious stones in the Bible 
bear the signification of truth. Of this the Apocalypse 
furnishes many examples. The monuments of Egypt 
call precious stones the hard stones of truth. By con- 
trast to the signification of truth and faith, the stone 
also received, in Egypt and the Bible, the signification 
of error and impiety ; and was dedicated among the 
Egyptians to the Infernal Spirit, the author of all false- 
hood. The stone specially dedicated to Seth or Ty- 
phon, the Infernal Deity, was the cut stone ; and this 



OF MASTERS, WARDENS, FELLOWS, ETC. 131 

species of stone has received, in the language of the 
monuments, the name of Seth (Satan). The symbol of 
truth was the hard stone; that of error the soft stone, 
which could be cut.' The same symbolism appears to 
have existed among the Hebrews : ' If thou wilt make 
me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn 
stone, 1 was the command of Jehovah ; { for if thou 
lift thy tool upon it thou hast polluted it.' (Ex. xx. 
25.) ' Thou shalt build the altar of the Lord thy 
God of whole stones f (Deut. xxvii. 4) that is, unhewn 
stones — and of whole stones (literally perfect stones), 
translated in our version, ' of stone made ready before 
it was brought thither,' did Solomon build the Holy of 
Holies. It was eminently proper that a temple erected 
for the worship of the God of Truth, the unchangeable 
I am, should be constructed of whole stones, perfect 
stones, the universally recognized symbols of this His 
great and constant attribute. The symbolic relation 
of each member of the Order to its mystic temple for- 
bids the idea that its constituent portions, its living 
stones, should be less perfect, or less a type of their 
great original, than the inanimate material which 
formed the earthly dwelling-place of the God of their 
adoration. We, the successors of those who received 
the initiatory rites at the hands of Moses and Solomon, 
received also, with this inestimable inheritance, the same 
symbols and with the same expressive signification. 



132 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

" Enough has been said to show at how remote a 
period in the history of Masonry this important Land- 
mark was erected. Can man, in his short-sighted 
notions of convenience, vary its meaning ? Can a 
Mason, the solemnly installed Master of a lodge of his 
brethren and equals, consistently with the obligations 
he has voluntarily imposed upon himself, remove it 
from its place ? " * 

And now, having thus briefly, though fully as the 
limits of this lecture would admit, treated of the teach- 
ers in Freemasonry, their qualifications, rights, and 
duties ; and also of the physical qualifications of can- 
didates, all which are presented in this Charge, it only 
remains to note the last clause, which eujoins a general 
duty on the brethren. " These Rulers and Governors, 
supreme and subordinate, of the ancient lodge, are to 
be obeyed in their respective stations by all the breth- 
ren, according to the old Charges and Regulations, with 
all humility, reverence, love, and alacrity." 

In my first lecture I descanted briefly on the duty 
of obedience to God, and the aid to that derived from 
the practice of obedience to our earthly superiors. 
Now, obedience may be the result of fear ; but such is 
not the obedience inculcated by Freemasonry. The 
Science of life, as taught by it, is calculated to invig- 
orate and to soothe, not to weaken or oppress the soul. 

* Proc. G-. L. Georgia, 1852, pp. 54, 55. 



OF MASTERS, WARDENS, FELLOWS, ETC. 133 

Accordingly, the obedience here enjoined is, first, a 
humble obedience — then, a reverential obedience — 
then, an affectionate obedience — and, finally, a cheer- 
ful, willing, and eager obedience. Here are humility, 
that first of Christian virtues, in the pupil who pays 
the obedience ; reverence, for the teacher who receives 
it ; love, in both giver and receiver ; and alacrity, in 
the pupil again, as a guaranty of his profitable exer- 
cise of the duty. 

I have been much struck with the fitness of the word 
" alacrity" here ; for, from its derivation, it has allu- 
sion to the swift wing of a bird, and is used to denote 
that eager desire to show the love and reverence we 
bear to another, whether for his own virtues or for the 
dignity of the station he occupies, which is not tardy 
or laggard in its movements, but would fly to serve and 
to obey. The whole injunction covers wide ground, 
and would afford matter, did time and occasion allow, 
for extended exposition. 

But while Freemasonry has been thus careful to guard 
the authority of its teachers, in the practical effects of its 
benign teachings nothing like tyranny ever occurs. The 
same spirit actuates both teachers and pupils : each has 
a fraternal regard for the other : the good of one is felt 
to be the good of the whole. You must have noted, 
my brethren, how constantly this truth is shown in the 
lodge. How the Master, who understands his duties, 



134 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

bends his whole energies, while preserving the Land- 
marks, to conciliate and harmonize all the brethren ; 
giving unto each his due, and withholding from none 
his meed : thus verifying the words of the apostle, that 
while there be " a diversity of gifts, there is the same 
spirit." 

But I have filled my hour, and am warned to desist. 
Designed, as these lectures are, for the practical benefit 
of my brethren, I must not risk to tire them. The 
subject of obedience and duty to superiors in the 
lodge may admit of larger handling, when I come to 
consider the remaining Charges. Let me hope that 
what I have said this evening has not been unprofit- 
ably said. 



LECTURE V. 

Let all things be done decently and in order. 



1 Cor. xrv. 40. 



(135) 



LECTURE V, 



V. OF THE MANAGEMENT OF THE CRAFT IN 
"WORKING. 

Brethren : — Some time having elapsed* since I 
delivered before you my last lecture on the old 
Charges, viz : that on the fourth Charge — I now resume 
the exercise, and take up for consideration and remark 
this evening the fifth and next in order. 

Every science hath its own method of teaching. 
Something technical must of necessity attach to each. 
Freemasonry uses a method of teaching which, in the 
present age at least, is very peculiar. All its holiest 
and deepest meanings are wrapt up in the coverings 
of symbols. But this, far from being an objection, 
should, instead, be counted to its praise ; for this 
method of teaching is the most impressive, the oldest, 
the most universal, and the perfectest of all methods. 
The most impressive, because it is the most natural ; and 

* The hall used by the brethren had been consumed by fire in tho 
interim, and they were now in their new hall. 

(137) 



138 MORAL DESIGN OP FREEMASONRY. 

it ever must and will be, that a well-adapted and con- 
current symbol shall carry a directer and more strik- 
ing image of the thing represented to the eye and to 
the heart, than can all the arbitrary signs of letters, 
however skilfully arranged and combined. The old- 
est ; not only does the history of our race so allege 
and verify in fact, but the very law of our being con- 
firms and establishes, since it is the first that addresses 
itself to the senses of the infant newly awakened into 
this our earth-life. The most universal ; because, 
being natural, it is recognizable by all men, in what 
clime soever born, or resident — the same natural laws 
and phenomena overspreading and surrounding all. 
The perfectest ; because, that method which unites 
in itself all the foregoing requisites, must needs be 
more perfect, and more fully answer the end proposed, 
viz : the widest dissemination of knowledge and of 
truth. 

Nor is the objection valid, that the symbols of Free- 
masonry are founded on art, and not on natural objects 
and phenomena for, it being conceded that the method 
of teaching by symbols is the best, it follows that the 
method is not disparaged, apply it to what vehicle we 
may. And the objection is of less force yet, when it 
is remembered that the symbols of Freemasonry are 
derived from the oldest of sciences and arts, and the 
most commonly known and practised among all nations. 



OF MANAGEMENT IN WORKING. 139 

Nor are there wanting among them such as are taken 
directly from nature herself ; indeed, the Great Teach- 
er Himself, the Almighty Father of our spirits, has by 
His own example endorsed and hallowed this method 
of tuition ; for, both before and since the revelation of 
His word, by the sun and the moon, the stars, day and 
night, mountain and plain, the mighty waters and the 
gentle streams, the rains and the dews, the ever-rolling 
seasons, seed-time and harvest, the health-inspiring 
zephyrs, and the storm with the forked lightnings, all 
which are but the symbols of His power and His 
goodness, He ever addresseth us. 

But, as by familiarity with these, man has come to 
disregard their true signification, and to pass them un- 
heeded, nor refers them to their proper Source, but re- 
quires that his mind be constantly directed to their 
true and primitive, though now to him occult meaning ; 
so with our symbols, it is necessary that the attention 
be kept steadily directed to their true objects and 
meanings, lest we suffer these to escape us. For the 
furtherance of this end, therefore, — the careful and cer- 
tain attaining to the inner and true meanings of 
its lessons, as taught in its symbols, — Freemasonry 
lays down certain rules for the management of the 
craft when at work, by the observance of which this 
end may be the better secured. The fifth old Charge, 
then, which is that one under consideration this even- 



140 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

ing, treats of " the management of the craft in work- 
ing," and is in these words : 

" All Masons shall work honestly on working-days, 
that they may live creditably on holy-days ; and the 
time appointed by the law of the land, or confirmed by 
custom, shall be observed. 

" The most expert of the Fellow- Craftsmen shall be 
chosen or appointed the Master or overseer of the 
Lord's work, who is to be called Master by those that 
work under him. The craftsmen are to avoid all ill 
language, and are to call each other by no disobliging 
name, but Brother, or Fellow, and to behave themselves 
courteously within and without the lodge. 

" The Master, knowing himself to be able of cunning, 
shall undertake the Lord's work as reasonably as pos- 
sible, and truly dispend his goods as if they were his 
own, nor to give more wages to any Brother or Appren- 
tice than he really may deserve. 

" Both the Master and the Masons, receiving their 
wages justly, shall be faithful to" the Lord, and hon- 
estly finish their work, whether task or journey, nor 
put the work to task that hath been accustomed to 
journey. 

" None shall discover envy at the prosperity of a 
brother, nor supplant him, or put him out of his work, 
if he be capable to finish the same ; for no man can 
finish another man's work so much to the Lord's profit, 



OP MANAGEMENT IN WORKING. 141 

unless he be thoroughly acquainted with the designs 
and draughts of him that began it. 

" When a Fellow- Craftsman is chosen Warden of the 
work under the Master, he shall be true both to Mas- 
ter and Fellows, shall carefully oversee the work in the 
Master's absence, to the Lord's profit, and his breth- 
ren shall obey him. 

" All Masons employed shall meekly receive their 
wages, without murmuring or mutiny, and not desert 
the Master till the work isHfinished. 

" A younger brother shall be instructed in working, 
to prevent spoiling the materials for want of judgment, 
and for increasing and continuing of brotherly love. 

" All the tools used in working shall be approved by 
the Grand Lodge. 

" No laborer shall be employed in the proper work 
of Masonry, nor shall Freemasons work with those 
that are not free, without an urgent necessity, nor 
shall they teach laborers and unaccepted Masons, as 
they should teach a Brother or Fellow." 

On the first clause in this Charge, I must beg you to 
observe with me how uniform and constant hath been 
the care of Freemasonry to impress upon the sons of 
Light a due respect for, and observance of, the duties 
of religion. Religion, as Freemasonry teaches, and as 
it truly is, is at the bottom and the top, is the Alpha 
and the Omeea of all human life. Man without it is 



142 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

as the brute that perisheth ; nay, worse than the brute 
that perisheth, for, as we believe, to the brute the life 
to come is of no concernment, and this life is all in all ; 
but to us this life is nothing, hath no meaning, except 
as it is bound up in the life to come. But admitting 
even, as some have been hardy enough to doubt, that 
the brute hath some interest in a future state of being, 
yet to us must a neglect of religious duties be worse 
than to the brute, for that interest, if any, must neces- 
sarily be a lower one than ours ; and as, by a law of 
physics, the momentum, and consequent injury to a 
falling object, is greater the greater the height from 
which it falls, so, in a moral and spiritual sense, falling 
from a greater height, the ruin to man must be greater 
in the fall than to the brute. 

But the religion of Freemasonry is a religion of 
works. Not only is the son of Light enjoined to keep 
holy the Sabbath-day, but herein he is taught that 
without honest, diligent labor in the week he cannot 
expect to keep the holy-days with credit to the craft 
and before the world, or with profit or satisfaction to 
himself. " All masons shall work honestly on working- 
days, that they may live creditably on holy-days." 

Oh, wonderful insight into the laws of cur being ! 
marvellous acquaintance with the appointments of 
Providence ! While man in every age has struggled, is 
struggling evermore, in the perversene.ss of his fallen 



OF MANAGEMENT IN WORKING. 143 

and depraved nature, to evade by every means in his 
power the duty of labor — wilfully ignorant that in that 
very duty consist his happiness and his life — Free- 
masonry urges him, with its sage counsel and solemn, 
wise injunction, to fill up the measure of his time with 
honest labor — " work honestly on working-days, that 
they may live creditably on holy-days." 

Yes, my brethren ! God, our Father, hath set His 
curse upon all idleness. But though, in dooming man 
to labor, 'twas as a penalty for his first transgression, 
yet, tempering, as He ever doth, His 'judgments with 
mercy, He hath so ordained that in the penalty itself 
we shall find our happiness ; and, therefore, He hath 
hedged around our nature, in its threefold depart- 
ments, so that we may not evade the penalty, or miss 
our happiness, by transgressing in either, physically, 
mentally or spiritually, without suffering. Free- 
masonry, true to its inspiration and its objects, care- 
fully enforceth this truth. 

The true Freemason will never be idle. Taught to 
set no value on external acquirements and professions, 
he aims after usefulness. How can I be useful to my 
brethren — to my fellow-men ? This is his constant in- 
quiry. And in the diligent endeavor after a life of 
usefulness he finds his true enjoyment. That enjoy- 
ment is all the wages he looks for in this life, knowing 
that his higher wages are laid up in a treasury above 



144 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

that never fails — even in the scales of his Heavenly 
Father's eternal justice. 

But from this clause we gather, too, the universality 
of the religion of Freemasonry. My brethren ! in 
these days of sectarian prejudice and zeal without 
knowledge in things sacred as in things profane, we 
should, valuing, as Freemasons we ought, this cardinal 
feature in Freemasonry, aim most scrupulously to guard 
it against all encroachment, or attack, whether by false 
friend, or open foe. Freemasonry sets no day, compels 
no subscription to particular creed. The God it com- 
mends to our reverence and worship, though called by 
different names among different peoples, is the same in 
essence and in being, in every age, in every zone, and 
in every land — 

" Father of all, in every age, 
In every clime adored, 
By Saint, by Savage, or by Sage, 
Jehovah, Jove, or Lord." 

How inconsistent with such teachings is it for one 
to require of another that he should call Him by the 
same name, and offer to Him his stated worship on 
the same day with himself ! Yet this is sometimes un- 
reasonably and most unmasonically demanded by some 
brethren. We should beware of this error. Need we 
any Masonic law on the subject ? Here it is : " The 



OP MANAGEMENT IN WORKING. 145 

time appointed by the law of the land, or confirmed 
by custom, shall be observed" 

One of the earliest replies I was called to make to 
a question of Masonic law and usage was on this very 
subject. A brother wrote from Louisville, Ky., to 
know my opinion on the following question, among 
others : " Is there any constitution, ancient or modern, 
which forbids such (lodges of instruction), or any other 
meetings on Sundays ?" I was not then (1852) so well 
acquainted with these old Charges as I have since be- 
come, and made the following reply, which may be 
found in the Masonic Journal, vol. iv., p. 459 : " None 
of the constitutions, ancient or modern, that we are 
acquainted with, prohibits the assembling of Masons 
on Sunday. But Masonry, though not sectarian or 
sectional, but universal, as it is practised at this day in 
this country, and in the world, as far as we are in- 
formed, is in the hands of Christians, who regard the 
first day of the week as a Sabbath to be kept holy ; 
and no good Mason, for the gratification of his private 
individual opinion, adverse as this may be to the claims 
of that day as a holy-day, would wound the feelings 
of a large portion of his brethren by unnecessarily so 
using it as would appear in the eyes of such, his 
brethren, a profanation. Besides, as our ancient opera- 
tive brethren worked but six days on the temple, and 
rested the seventh, because ' in six days God made the 
7 



146 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

heavens and the earth, and rested the seventh day/ so 
now the speculative Mason should be content not to 
remove this ancient Landmark, but rest from his work 
on that day which by common consent meets the appro- 
bation and regard of the great majority of his brethren." 
And now, though I erred in saying such meetings 
are not prohibited by the constitutions of Freemasonry, 
for they certainly are in this Charge, yet am I glad to 
find that in the spirit of my reply I am directly sus- 
tained thereby. And I would take occasion here to 
say to my Jewish brethren, whom I love as brethren, 
and as a people respect, and whose kindness to me per- 
sonally I have had many occasions to acknowledge, I 
think they are wrong to except to much they find fault 
with in our lodges, as this Charge enjoins upon us all 
to observe the time for religious observance appointed 
by the law, and confirmed by the custom of the land 
where we reside. I cannot believe that I should be, as 
I am sure I would have no right to be, either offended 
or surprised, if in Turkey I found different holy-days 
observed, or, upon entering a lodge of my Turkish 
brethren, I were to find the Koran on the altar, or 
hear the name of Mahomet used in the prayers. Let 
us not be offended, brethren, that by reason of differ- 
ence in education we approach our Father in different 
modes, or on different days, but rather let us be offend- 
ed that a Freemason should not approach Him at all. 






OF MANAGEMENT IN WORKING. 147 

In my last lecture I considered (it being the subject 
then under review) the qualifications of Masters and 
Wardens, who are the appointed teachers in Free- 
masonry, and the duty of all the brethren to them- 
ward. I took occasion then to say, that the great merit 
therein spoken of as entitling a brother to the eminent 
position of Master of a lodge, and in due course Grand 
Master of all the lodges, should be such only as had 
been exhibited before the brethren in the lodge, and 
not any outside reputation he may have among the 
profane, from mere rank, or wealth, or even scientific 
attainments ; for the merit, in the language of the 
Charge itself, must be a " singular great merit ;" and 
this expression "singular," emphatic in every sense, I 
confined to a merit in Freemasonry. 

It must not be forgotten, however, that in a true 
sense, no man can attain to a singular great merit in 
Freemasonry who has not more than ordinary acquaint- 
ance with the arts and sciences ; since Freemasonry, 
like a great cycle, comprehends them all within itself. 
And here again we find the same views reiterated, and 
my construction of the former Charge sustained and 
confirmed. " The most expert of the Fellow- Craftsmen 
shall be chosen, or appointed, the Master or overseer 
of the Lord's work f and " he is to be called Master by 
those that work under him." 

It is worthy of note that we find here repeated the 



148 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

same phrase, " the Lord's work," of which the Master, 
appointed as above, is declared to be the overseer. 
If my interpretation of this phrase in my last lecture 
be correct, it is evident it would be not only highly 
injudicious, but contrary to positive requirement, to 
call any one to the high position of Master and over- 
seer of the Lord's work who is deficient in religious 
character and religious sentiment. 

It is true, that with great precaution Freemasonry 
has endeavored to protect its fane from the desecrat- 
ing presence of the irreligious and the immoral, but 
such is the wile of the Lord's enemy, that wicked one 
of old, that he will personate even if need be an 
angel of light, and so deceive sometimes the very 
elect themselves. Therefore, out of the very brother- 
hood itself Freemasonry would caution the brethren 
to beware how they choose their teachers. 

While engaged in the work of Freemasonry, nothing 
should be allowed to distract the attention of the 
craft ; the use of ill language, therefore, at all times 
to be avoided as unbecoming and vulgar, and the 
liberty of addressing each other by different titles and 
epithets, and especially by disobliging names, are 
denied, and all are required to call each other Brother, 
or Fellow, (the latter being the proper style of address 
among capitular Masons, who call and are called by 
each other Companion, the synonym and equivalent of 



OF MANAGEMENT IN WORKING. 149 

Fellow,) — thus, both in the uniformity and in the en- 
dearment of the address itself, insuring attention and 
harmony. Nor is this kind consideration for each 
others' feelings, and respectful and courteous demean- 
or towards each other, to be observed only when at 
work among themselves, but should also characterize 
the brethren wherever they meet, who are enjoined in 
this Charge " to behave themselves courteously with- 
in and without the lodge." 

But the Master, having such qualifications, and ap- 
pointed as Freemasonry directs, must needs be con- 
scious of his ability to serve his brethren well, and to 
conduct the business of Freemasonry with honor ; 
therefore, " knowing himself to be able of cunning," 
and so a proper judge of the real value of work, he is 
charged to " undertake the Lord's work as reasonably 
as possible,' 7 and avoid offending any by severe and 
unnecessary, or unusual exactions, or the imposition 
of extraordinary demands on the Apprentice. For it 
is the interest, as it is the want, of wisdom, to attract 
her pupils by just and equitable tasks, and kind and 
conciliatory demeanor, rather than to repel them by 
the contrary. Yet he is not to be straitened in the 
dispending of his goods, but to give them freely as 
they were his own ; measuring the necessity of each 
case by his own prudent judgment, yet being careful 
always not to allow more to any than they truly de- 



150 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

serve, as this would tend to the dissatisfaction of the 
brethren. He must not, in assigning duties, confer 
stations or honors upon any who are not entitled to 
them by merit ; for such invidious distinction is not 
only unjust in itself, but will disturb the harmony of 
the lodge, the preservation of which should ever be the 
first care of a good Master. 

And the brethren, too, must, in the same spirit, 
decide upon the wages due the Master, not begrudg- 
ing his due, but cheerfully awarding and paying him 
all honor, and respect, and reverence ; so that all, 
" receiving their wages justly, shall be faithful to the 
Lord, and honestly finish their work, whether task or 
journey ; nor put the work to task that hath been ac- 
customed to journey. 77 By which we are to understand, 
that all, mutually rendering unto each other the respect 
and aid that is due, shall honestly work and faithfully 
abide in the lodge until the labors of the Communica- 
tion, whatever they may be, shall be properly finished, 
and the lodge duly closed. 

I am sorry to say, I have seen occasions in the lodge 
when this injunction was sadly neglected in this partic- 
ular. Yet this ought not to be. Brethren are sadly 
forgetful of the dignity and importance of Freemason- 
ry when they err thus. 

In this Charge, we recognize the same principle I 
had occasion to notice in mv last lecture, viz : the 



OF MANAGEMENT IN WORKING. 151 

gradation in office, and the regular preparation, step 
by step, of the Freemason to become a Master work- 
man. . This we find iterated and reiterated throughout 
these Charges. It is positively declared in the preced- 
ing Charge, where the law is given, that none shall be 
chosen Master, until he has first acted as Warden. 
Our M. W. Grand Master, and learned brother Rock- 
well, in his address at the last Annual Communication 
of our Grand Lodge (Ga., 1857), impugns this law, and 
in a very ingenious manner attempts to explain it away 
by a reference to the personation of the Junior Warden, 
by the candidate, in the third degree. But, besides that 
this is a strained interpretation of the words of the 
Charge, which is met by considerations patent to all, 
but which cannot be too openly entered upon here, it 
will be seen, at once, to have no force, when it is 
remembered, that in some jurisdictions in this country, 
and universally, I believe, in Great Britain and Eu- 
rope, this personation is not made. I doubt not, upon 
reflection, he will see his error, and, like our able 
brother Howard, the M. W. Grand Master of Cali- 
fornia, confess to the justice and propriety, and the 
beautiful consistency, of the law in this regard. For 
we find the same principle recognized and announced, 
as I have said, in this Charge, where it is required that 
" the most expert of the Fellow- Craftsmen " shall be 
chosen Master : and, again, here, that journey-work 



152 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

shall not be put to task, nor task to journey, but that 
the craft shall be assigned to such stations and duties 
as their several skill and ability shall entitle them to. 
This is necessary, even, or else the business of Free- 
masonry would suffer through want of ability of cun- 
ning in the workmen. 

Among the profane, nothing is so common as envy. 
Let one man succeed in anything beyond his fellow, 
and, straightway, envy possesses the breast of all those 
who are less fortunate ; and if they cannot attain to 
the same fortune by honest effort, they will resort to 
the mean arts of detraction, and by dishonest means 
seek to pull down their more successful fellow-being to 
their own level. Out of this base passion arise many 
of the evils of this life. For envy is, indeed, a two- 
edged sword, piercing the heart of both him it pos- 
sesses, and of him against whom it is directed. For 
the sake then of its own great regard for the sons of 
Light, as well as because such evil passion is at war 
with every tenet and obligation of Freemasons, who 
are taught to recognize and hail each other as breth- 
ren, owning common interests and a common destiny, 
and to rejoice in each others' prosperity, Freemasonry 
forbids, in the most emphatic terms, the exhibition of 
envy at a brother's prosperity ; or that we should 
supplant, or put him out of his work. " None shall 
discover envy at the prosperity of a brother, nor sup- 



OF MANAGEMENT IN WORKING. 153 

plant him, or put him out of his work, if he be capable 
to finish the same ; for no man can finish another's 
work so much to the Lord's profit, unless he be 
thoroughly acquainted with the designs and draughts 
of him who began it." 

Out of this injunction arises that universally re- 
spected principle in Masonic jurisprudence, that one 
lodge shall not interfere with the work of another ; 
and that the candidate must finish the course of his 
degrees in the same lodge in which he was entered ; 
unless that lodge, for sufficient reasons moving them 
thereto, give their consent and recommendation to an- 
other lodge to finish their work for them. 

From this we learn, too, the impropriety of finding 
fault with the work in progress, as done by another. 
Every Master, or overseer, does his work by his own 
draughts and designs ; and we should patiently abide 
and work with him after them, nor seek to interrupt 
the work by uncalled-for remarks and comments, or 
promptings, which serve only to derange his designs, 
and spoil the effect of the whole. So long as the an- 
cient Landmarks are not infringed, we have no just 
cause of complaint. And when such interference 
proceeds from a vainglorious desire to exhibit our own 
proficiency, to the manifest disparagement of another's 
skill, it is especially to be condemned. True wisdom 

will always seek and find a more suitable time to 

>7* 



154 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

correct errors, and to impart knowledge. Thus, in the 
ancient poem before alluded to in these lectures, the 
twelfth article is commended as of special propriety 
and importance : — 

The twelfth artycul ys of hye honeste 
To every mason, whersever he be ; 
He schal not hysfelows werk deprave, 
Ef that he wol hys honeste save ; 
With honest wordes he hyt comende, 
By the wy tte that God the dede sende ; 
But hyt amende by al that thou may, 
Bytwynne } r ow bothe without nay. 

It is thus that true Freemasonry is to be properly 
learned, even in its ritual. None should set up his 
own work as infallible. All the manual-makers are 
in some respects innovators, and no one deserves to be 
strictly followed in all respects. Private discussion 
" between you both," as this old poem hath it, must be 
relied on for the amendment of errors. One brother 
is as liable to error as another. 

Indeed, all one-man Masonry should be especially 
shunned. No man, however learned, however practised 
and experienced in Masonry, is in all points and at 
all times infallibly right. Submitting to the lot of 
human nature, there will be points, there must be parts, 
where the judgment of the wisest will be at fault. And 
the more positive he becomes, so much greater is the 
reason to fear he is wrong. My brethren ! pin your 



OF MANAGEMENT IN WORKING. 155 

faith in Masonry on no man's sleeve. Hear patiently 
all sides, and then, relying on your own honest judg- 
ment, decide each for yourself which is the better 
opinion. Some one, of strong will and active imagi- 
nation, may build up unto himself a theory which shall, 
for a season, find many followers ; but Freemasonry, 
above and beyond all such, pursues the even tenor of 
its way. The smoke from the small fire in the field 
may rise, and spread, and obscure the color of the true 
heavens to the vision of him who lighted, and of them 
who sit around it, but the great calm blue sky re- 
mains eternally the same above. 

In the preceding lecture I had occasion to speak of 
the rights and duties of Wardens. In this charge we 
find the right and duty of the Warden to preside and 
carefully oversee the work in the absence of the Mas- 
ter, distinctly asserted and laid down ; and he is, more- 
over, required to be true to both Master and Fellows, 
and all to the Lord's profit — the glory of the great I 
AM being at all times the chief object and aim of the 
business of Freemasonry, as it should be of every living- 
rational creature. And, lest the brethren may be in- 
clined to disrespect the authority of the Warden in the 
Master's absence, they are particularly enjoined to obey 
him ; thus — " When a Fellow-Craftsman is chosen War- 
den of the work under the Master, he shall be true both 
to Master and Fellows, shall carefully oversee the work in 



156 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

the Master's absence, to the Lord's profit ; and his breth- 
ren shall obey him" 

In the first edition of the constitution by Anderson, 
this right of the Warden was limited, in Old Regulation 
XL, to the case, when " no brother is present who has 
been Master of that lodge before." But in Entick's 
edition we are told that " it has since been found that 
the old lodges never put into the chair the Master of 
a particular lodge ; but when there was no Grand 
Warden in company," * &c. ; and although the lan- 
guage of Entick refers more specially to Grand War- 
dens, it has been taken to intend a restoration to War- 
dens generally of the right to preside in the absence 
of the Master, that being the usage of the oldest 
lodges ; and, accordingly, in their installation at the 
present day, the Wardens are to that duty specially 
bound. 

This should teach us the importance of the proper 
selection of Wardens, as well as of Master. Brethren 
should on no account be neglectful of this, and through 
indifference, or other motive, allow one they deem un* 
fit for the office to be made a Warden. 

If he is unskilful, this is putting " work to task that 
hath been accustomed to journey," contrary to the posi- 
tive requirements of the fundamental law. If the Master 
is expert, as he should be, it is our duty to give him 

* Entick, p. 218. 



OF MANAGEMENT IN WORKING. 157 

good Wardens, that his skill be not frustrated and 
spoiled by their unskilfulness. Good and true work, 
in greatest perfection, can only be looked for there, 
where all the officers chosen are able of cunning in 
their several stations, zealous and active. 

The next injunction in this charge conveys a beauti- 
ful lesson, which requires no comment. It is plain and 
practical, and commends itself at once to the judgment 
and to the feeling of every true-hearted brother : " All 
Masons employed shall meekly receive their wages, 
without murmuring or mutiny, and not desert the Mas- 
ter till the work is finished." 

On all Freemasons the duty of instructing the 
younger brethren is enjoined:. "A younger brother 
shall be instructed in working, to prevent spoiling the 
materials for want of judgment, and for increasing 
and continuing of brotherly love." What admirable 
tenderness of regard for the younger brother, and 
lively concern for the continuance of brotherly love ! 
And here let me say, to the honorable credit of the 
brotherhood, that I have never known an instance 
where an older and more expert brother was not ever 
ready and willing cheerfully to impart of his knowl- 
edge to his younger and less experienced brethren. 
How different from the manner and custom of the pro- 
fane, among whom the greatest concern would seem 
to be, to hide from each other the knowledge possessed 



158 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

by any in any particular department of skill. Who 
will not admire at the contrast, and respect us for our 
difference from those. Thus may it ever be among us, 
" for the increasing and continuing of brotherly love." 

11 All the tools used in working shall be approved 
by the Grand Lodge." 

In my third lecture (the subject of the Charge de- 
manding it), I considered the nature and powers of 
lodges, both Grand and Subordinate, and I there 
observed that the Subordinate Lodge holds all its 
powers at the will of the Grand Lodge. Here we find 
the controlling power of the Grand Lodge fully 
recognized as to the subject of work, it being declared 
that all the tools used in working shall be approved by 
the Grand Lodge, and, by consequence, the mode of 
work itself is within its direction and control. It is 
the bounden duty of every Subordinate Lodge cheerfully 
to submit to its authority ; and though brethren, in 
their private judgment, may think one mode of work 
preferable to another, yet, when once the Grand 
Lodge has adopted, and by its edict pronounced and 
settled on any certain mode, whether fully agreeing 
with our views or not, for the sake of uniformity and 
harmony, and " for the increasing and continuing of 
brotherly love," as well as in view of our special obli- 
gation thereto, we should all submit, and with one 
accord and one heart adopt and practise the same. 



OF MANAGEMENT IN WORKING. 159 

I do not think perfect uniformity in work either 
attainable, or so essentially necessary or important, as 
some regard it. It is the just authority of the Grand 
Lodge I would enforce here, rather than any Utopian 
idea of a strict uniformity to the letter in work. The 
Landmarks of the ritual in all jurisdictions are observ- 
ed ; and, while this is the case, a brother can have 
little difficulty in knowing and making himself known. 
So that this great end is answered, I would not stick 
at slight discrepancies in the work. My Brethren ! it 
is the just and consistent practice of the virtues, and 
skill in the sacred tenets of Freemasonry, by which we 
should strive to distinguish ourselves, more than by 
any special proficiency in this, or that, mode of work. 
Expertness in work is commendable, is necessary to a 
perfect Freemason, but all the proficiency, all the ex- 
pertness in what is technically called the work of 
Freemasonry that has ever been attained by all the 
brethren in the long years of its untold antiquity, 
without the practice of the Freemasonic virtues, will 
be but as " sounding brass, and a tinkling cymbal/ 
Let us ever remember this, and, striving first and chief- 
ly to excel in the one, neglect not to accomplish our- 
selves in the other. 

" No laborer shall be employed in the proper work 
of Masonry ; nor shall Freemasons work with those 
that are not free, without an urgent necessity ; nor 



160 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

shall they teach laborers and unaccepted Masons, as 
they should teach a Brother or Fellow." 

This is the last clause of this Charge ; and from it 
may be deduced various lessons and principles, most of 
which will present themselves to your own reflection. 
I shall confine my remarks to but a few, nor dwell (as 
time presses) on any. 

And first. I think I see in this a careful disclaimer 
of the operative character by some attributed to Free- 
masonry. " No laborer shall be employed in the proper 
work of Masonry ; nor shall Freemasons work with 
those that are not free," etc. I have already said that 
I eschew all reference to the so-called operative charac- 
ter of Freemasonry, for, though I would not deny that 
Freemasons, as having in possession the knowledge of 
all Arts and Sciences, did direct, and superintend, and 
construct many of those structures of antiquity which 
exact to this day the admiration of mankind, yet do I 
believe that its objects were always aboye and beyond 
the mere operative pursuits of Masonry, strictly so 
called. That many of the craft were operative 
Masons, as, doubtless, are many at this day, and 
pursued Masonry, operative Masonry, as a calling, a 
business calling in life, with profit to themselves, and 
to the honor and credit of the fraternity, as every 
brother does honor the fraternity who discharges his 
duty well in any condition, or calling, I doubt not ; 



OF MANAGEMENT IN WORKING. 161 

but I as little doubt that, as Freemasons, the craft 
always pursued a higher calling than any mere opera- 
tive business could aspire to, even the calling of a 
more intimate knowledge of the character of Deity, 
and our relations to Him, and to each other, and to 
ourselves, and our consequent duties ; in short, the 
Science of human life. 

Again. I perceive in this clause the injunction of 
Secresy ; that our Secrets should be held sacred among 
ourselves, and confined to the household of the faith- 
ful. " Nor shall they teach laborers and unaccepted 
Masons, as they should teach a Brother or Fellow." 

And lastly. I deduce from this clause the duty of 
first dispensing our Charities among our brethren, 
giving them the preference, who have higher claims on 
us than the profane. There are some who impute 
wrong to us in this preference, but with what reason I 
cannot see. We teach Charity, we show Charity to 
all mankind ; but surely it should not be charged to us 
for wrong, if we begin our charity at home. Saint 
Paul hath declared that otherwise we were worse than 
the heathen. But the imputation does not deserve 
further notice. 

And now, Brethren, having briefly considered the 
meaning of this Charge, I cannot conclude this lecture 
without remarking on the development of my proposi- 
tion, that Freemasonry is the Science of human life. 



162 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

I have shown in the preceding lectures and this, that 
it has for its basis the proper foundation for such a 
Science, viz : God and Religion ; that next to our 
obedience to God, it requires of us obedience to all 
properly constituted civil authorities ; that, as every 
science needs, it is provided with schools, with teach- 
ers, and has certain rules for instruction given, which 
are both peculiar and just. It remains now but to 
show what are the results of the Science, as exhibited 
in the lives and conduct of its followers ; and these 
will appear in the remaining lecture on the sixth and 
last of these Charges, which concerns the Behavior of 
Freemasons in all the relations of life. Your atten- 
tion thus far has been gratifying ; let me keep it to the 
end, and I feel assured it will prove to our mutual 
profit that we have spent these evenings in the consid- 
eration of the old Charges of a Freemason. 



LECTURE VI. 

Ye shall know them by their fruits. 



Matt. vii. 16. 



(163) 



LECTURE VI. 



VI. OF BEHAVIOR. 

Brethren : — This evening brings us, in the regular 
course of these lectures, to the sixth and last of the 
old Charges, which concerns the Behavior of Free- 
masons : the result of our science as exhibited in our 
lives. 

If at any time I have felt at a loss in the prepara- 
tion of these lectures — and I have, constantly, not 
from want of material, but from its very abundance, 
which has made it difficult, often, to decide where to 
begin, what to choose, and where to end — much more 
do I feel so now. The length of the Charge itself, 
(which is divided into six heads,) its full scope, covering 
all the Masonic and social duties of life, at first in- 
clined me to follow the division, and devote a lecture 
to each head. But upon reflecting that even this 
boundary would not suffice for the complete elucidation 
of the subject,, and that I have, besides, ventured largely 

(165) 



166 MORAL DESIGN OP FREEMASONRY. 

upon your patience already, I have concluded to give 
such brief summary of the subject as I may in one lee- 
ture, and leave the old Charges of a Freemason to 
your further reflection and keeping. 

It cannot have failed to strike you, my brethren, 
that after all the preparation made, the solemn enunci- 
ation of grave and important principles, declared to 
be the basis and substratum of a serious business ; the 
careful providing of schools, of teachers, of rules of 
instruction, there must be some end in view, some re- 
sult to follow, commensurate with the dignity and im- 
portance of all that has gone before. This expecta- 
tion will not be disappointed. It is the business and 
the aim of Freemasonry to teach man that he came 
from God, and unto God must return for final judg- 
ment and reward for his deeds here, whether they be 
good or bad. The only approach to the Celestial 
Lodge above is by the theological ladder, and its steps 
none but the good may hope successfully to tread to 
that height. But the deeds done in the body must be 
rewarded in the body. Proper notions of the charac- 
ter of God, therefore, it is not only its business to 
teach, but also the immortality of the soul and the 
resurrection of the body. And this it most emphati- 
cally does, in that peculiar method of tuition I briefly 
remarked on in my last lecture ; the initiate himself 
being made, in his own person, as he in truth is, the 



OF BEHAVIOR. 167 

symbol and the evidence of that immortality, and of 
that resurrection. 

Every great significant truth hath connected with 
it, depending upon and clustering around it, other 
truths, which become important in the same degree 
that the leading central truth is important. In a 
strict sense, indeed, all truth is equally important; 
for Truth is one — Truth is God. But in a confined 
sense, such as it is permitted our limited capacities to 
deal with, some truths appear more important than 
others. But the truth which Freemasonry presents 
and develops will not suffer comparison with any 
other ; for it is the great central truth of the universe 
itself, even God — God the common Father, and Man 
the common Brotherhood. And the clustering truths 
which flow out of and depend on this are in extent and 
in duration as illimitable and interminable as infinite 
space and eternity themselves. In them and with them 
is bound up the immortal destiny of our race ; and it 
is the business of Freemasonry to show, amid the dark- 
ness that Sin hath cast over our spiritual atmosphere, a 
light, to light the wandering foot of man to Heaven, 
and to point out the steps of the ladder, ending in 
Faith, Hope, and Charity, which will lead him to his 
God. Hence its ancient name, Lux, LIGHT ; and the 
title of its children, SONS OF LIGHT. 

Herein the affinity of Freemasonry with Religion 



168 MORAL DESIGN OP FREEMASONRY. 

consists, that they both start with the same great cen- 
tral Truth, and both deal with the subdual of man to 
a greater consistency with the nature and character of 
his Great Original. Only, Religion applies its pre- 
cepts and its efforts to man's nature, to the regenera- 
tion of his spiritual and inner being, while Freema- 
sonry applies its precepts to the correction of his moral 
feelings and social habits, the perfection of his outer 
being. But this last is but the evidence of the former ; 
hence, Freemasonry, as the Science of human life, lays 
Religion itself as the only true basis for the latter, 
and, securing this basis, insists upon the erection 
thereon of the superstructure of a good life ; and hence, 
too, the truth of that common saying, " A good Mason 
must needs be a good man." 

This, then, being the proper aim of Freemasonry, — 
the improvement of man's moral feelings and social 
habits — after all the careful training had, the question 
naturally arises, How ought Freemasons to behave ? 
And this is answered in this sixth and last Charge, 
which reads as follows : 

" VI. Of Behavior, viz : 

"1. In the lodge while constituted. 

11 You are not to hold private committees or separate 
conversations without leave from the Master, nor to 
talk of anything impertinent or unseemly, nor inter- 



OF BEHAVIOR. 169 

rupt the Master or Wardens, or any brother speaking 
to the Master ; nor behave yourself ludicrously or 
jestingly while the lodge is engaged in what is serious 
and solemn ; nor use any unbecoming language upon 
any pretence whatsoever ; but to pay due reverence 
to your Master, Wardens, and Fellows, and put them 
to worship. 

" If any complaint be brought, the brother found 
guilty shall stand to the award and determination of 
the lodge, who are the proper and competent judges 
of all such controversies (unless you carry it by appeal 
to the Grand Lodge), and to whom they ought to be 
referred, unless the Lord's work be hindered the mean- 
while, in which case a particular reference may be 
made ; but you must never go to law about what con- 
cerneth Masonry, without an absolute necessity ap- 
parent to the lodge." 

" 2. Behavior after the lodge is over and the 
brethren not gone. 

"You may enjoy yourselves with innocent mirth, 
treating one another according to ability, but avoid- 
ing all excess, or forcing any brother to eat or drink 
beyond his inclination, or hindering him from going 
when his occasions call him, or doing or saying any- 
thing offensive, or that may forbid an easy and free 
conversation ; for this would blast our harmony and 
defeat our laudable purposes. Therefore, no private 



170 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

piques or quarrels must be brought within the door 
of the lodge, far less any quarrels about religion, or 
nations, or State policy, we being only, as Masons, of 
the Catholic religion above mentioned ; we are also 
of all nations, tongues, kindreds and languages, and 
are resolved against all politics, as what never yet con- 
duced to the welfare of the lodge, nor ever will. This 
Charge has been always strictly enjoined and obeyed ; 
but especially ever since the Reformation in Britain, or 
the dissent and secession of these nations from the 
communion of Rome. 

" 3. When brethren meet without strangers, but not 
in a lodge formed. 

" You are to salute one another in a courteous man- 
ner, as you will be instructed, calling each other 
brother, freely giving mutual instruction as shall be 
thought expedient, without being overseen or over- 
heard, and without encroaching upon each other, or 
derogating from that respect which is due to any 
brother, were he not a Mason ; for though all Masons 
are, as brethren, upon the same level, yet Masonry 
takes no honor from a man that he had before ; nay, 
rather it adds to his honor, especially if he has de- 
served well of the brotherhood, who must give honor 
to whom it is due, and avoid ill manners. 

" 4. Behavior in presence of strangers not Ma- 
sons. 



OF BEHAVIOR. 171 

" You shall be cautious in your words and carriage, 
that the most penetrating straDger shall not be able 
to discover or find out what is not proper to be inti- 
mated, and sometimes you shall divert a discourse and 
manage it prudently, for the honor of the "Worshipful 
Fraternity. 

11 5. Behavior at home and in your neighborhood. 

" You are to act as becomes a moral and wise man, 
particularly not to let your family, friends and neigh- 
bors know the concerns of the lodge, &c, but wisely to 
consult your own honor and that of the ancient 
brotherhood, for reasons not to be mentioned here. 
You must also consult your health by not continuing 
together too late, or too long from home after lodge 
hours are past, and by avoiding gluttony or drunken- 
ness, that your families be not neglected or injured, 
nor you disabled from working. 

" 6. Behavior towards a strange brother. 

" You are cautiously to examine him in such a 
method as prudence shall direct you, that you may 
not be imposed upon by an ignorant, false pretender, 
whom you are to reject with contempt and derision, 
and beware of giving him any hint of knowledge. 

" But if you discover him to be a true and genuine 
brother, you are to respect him accordingly, and if he 
is in want you must relieve him, if you can, or else 
direct him how he may be relieved : you must employ 



172 MORAL DESIGN OP FREEMASONRY. 

him some days, or else recommend him to be employed. 
But you are not charged to do beyond your ability, 
only to prefer a poor brother, that is, a good man and 
true, before any other people in the same circum- 
stances. 

" Finally, all these Charges you are to observe, and 
also those that shall be communicated to you in an- 
other way ; cultivating brotherly love, the foundation 
and cape-stone, the cement and glory of this ancient 
fraternity, avoiding all wrangling and quarrelling, all 
slander and backbiting, nor permitting others to 
slander any honest brother, but defending his charac- 
ter and doing him all good offices, as far as is consist- 
ent with your honor and safety, and no farther. And 
if any of them do you injury, you must apply to your 
own or his lodge, and from thence you may appeal to 
the Grand Lodge at the quarterly communication, and 
from thence to the Annual Grand Lodge, as has been 
the ancient, laudable conduct of our forefathers in 
every nation, never taking a legal course but when the 
case cannot be otherwise decided, and patiently listen- 
ing to the honest and friendly advice of Master and 
Fellows, when they would prevent your going to law 
with strangers, or would excite you to put a speedy 
period to all lawsuits, that so you mind the affair of 
Masonry with the more alacrity and success ; but with 
respect to brothers or Fellows at law, the Master and 



OF BEHAVIOR. 173 

brethren should kindly offer their mediation, which 
ought to be thankfully submitted to by the contending 
brethren ; and if that submission is impracticable, they 
must however carry on their process or lawsuit with- 
out wrath or rancor (not in the common way), saying 
or doing nothing which may hinder brotherly love, 
and good offices to be renewed and continued, that all 
may see the benign influence of Masonry, as all true 
Masons have done from the beginning of the world, 
and will do to the end of time." 

I shall consider the Charge in its several divi- 
sions. 

And, first: How should Freemasons behave in the 
lodge when constituted ? 

The business of Freemasonry being of prime import- 
ance, its method of teaching peculiar, and, by its con- 
stitutions, the whole direction of the affairs of the lodge 
being devolved on the Master, who represents the pil- 
lar of wisdom, Freemasonry addresses the sons of 
Light through him, and, for the furtherance of its 
designs, confers on him supreme authority in the 
lodge. We have seen, in my fourth lecture, that no 
appeal lies from his decision, except to the Grand 
Lodge ; so, in prohibiting private committees and 
separate conversation here, they are yet permitted, by 
leave of the Master, who, by his wisdom, is presumed 
to be able always to determine when these may be 



174 MORAL DESIGN OP FREEMASONRY. 

allowed. But, " to talk of anything impertinent or 
unseemly," or " to interrupt the Master, or Wardens, 
or any brother speaking to the Master," or " to behave 
ludicrously or jestingly while the lodge is engaged in 
what is serious and solemn," or " to use any unbecom- 
ing language on any pretence whatsoever/' are all 
positively forbidden ; no permission to the contrary 
being even presumable from the Master, unto whom, 
with the Wardens and Fellows, due reverence and 
worship are to be paid at all times ; and these could 
not be, were those improprieties allowed. 

The experience of every brother will bear me out, 
when I say, that in no Assembly whatever, of a secular 
character, can be found the same order and decorum, 
and the same rigid attention to the business before it, 
that are constantly met with in a Mason's Lodge. Go 
where you will, and it is the same ; North or South, 
East or West, in whatever land, wherever you find a 
Lodge of Freemasons, there you will be sure to find 
the same characteristic order and decorum. Private 
committees, separate conversation, unseemly behav- 
ior, unbecoming language, brawlings and fightings 
even, disfigure the Halls of Congress, and are not un- 
known to the British Parliaments ; but they are to our 
Lodges, whether Grand or Subordinate, whether the 
attendance be large or small. The principles of Free- 
masonry have a marked effect on the character of the 



OF BEHAVIOR. 1T5 

Mason trained in its schools, and their influence is seen 
in all his walks. 

A. reverend brother pays this just tribute to the Ma- 
sonic character — 

" See the well- trained Mason in the Legislative halls 
of our Republic. You will find him a dignified and 
courteous gentleman. He feels the high responsibility 
resting upon him ; and the" decorum of the lodge has 
taught him not to disgrace his more exalted station by 
rudeness, buffoonery, or violence. 

" See him in society. The cultivation of all the 
Social Virtues makes him, in private life, gentle, polite, 
and amiable. As a citizen, he is moderate and conser- 
vative in all his views. The love of all that is hal- 
lowed by time and meritorious services, of all that is 
excellent and at the same time venerable, causes him to 
look with suspicion upon the new theories, and popular 
isms of the day ; and makes him more disposed to 
preserve and to improve the old and the well-tried, than 
to reject it and receive the new and the untried. 

11 See him, like those true Masons, Scott and Quit- 
man, at the head of armies, and amid the roar of 
battle. He unsheathes his sword and wields it glo- 
riously, with all the faith in God and devotion to his 
country's honor that ever fired the soul of a Richard, 
or Godfrey. Casque, banner and tower fall before 
him ; and he wreathes her eagle-flag with laurels, and 



176 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

adds new beams to the lustre of her stars. But when 
the battle is over, and the victory won, his arm is ex- 
tended to shield the vanquished ; he stands forth as the 
protector of the widows and orphans of the hostile 
dead ; and he twines for his country's fame a garland 
of the flowers of Mercy, the fairest wreath that can 
adorn the conqueror. 

" See him in the Church of the most High and Holy 
God. All the veneration of his character is displayed 
in humble and solemn devotion. Nothing of the light- 
ness of ' the fool whose eyes are to the ends of the 
earth ; ' nothing of the irreverent and profane spirit 
of the bold mocker and blasphemer is seen in his de- 
corous deportment, or heard in his chaste conversa- 
tion." * 

But Masons are but human, and the evil passions of 
our nature will get the better of us sometimes, and 
disputes arise even among the good and the true. Yet 
they usually terminate sooner than the disputes of the 
profane. The Charge provides, " If any complaint be 
brought, the brother found guilty shall stand to the 
award and determination of the lodge, who are the 
proper and competent judges of all such controver- 
sies," etc. From which we learn, that differences 

* From an address delivered at Austin, Tex. , Dec. 27, 1855, by 
Bro. the Rev. Edward Fontaine, Rector of the Church of the Epiph- 
any. Vid. Sig. and Jour., Vol. II., pp. 251-52. 



OF BEHAVIOR. 177 

among Freemasons are only properly submitted to 
Freemasons. The lodge is the proper tribunal for all 
complaints among Freemasons. 

I cannot conceive of any differences among brethren, 
which will not give way and be speedily composed be- 
fore the influence of the united brotherhood, and by 
the cement of brotherly love. Bring the disagreeing 
brothers together before our common altar ; address 
them with the words of wisdom, and in the true tone of 
brotherly kindness, and hard indeed must be the heart, 
and serious the difficulty, which will not give way and 
be composed in the face of Masonic precepts, and 
Masonic obligations. I have seen the benign influence 
of Masonry more than once tried in this, and have 
never known it to fail. But should it unfortunately 
do so, the complaint must be carried, by appeal, to the 
Grand Lodge ; unless an earlier reference be neces- 
sary, to prevent injury resulting to the " Lord's 
work," and reflecting on or retarding the great end of 
the Institution, which, as I have so often said in these 
lectures, is the glory of God. 

Again. No brother is allowed, under any circum- 
stances, to " go to law about what concerneth Mason- 
ry, without an absolute necessity apparent to the 
lodge." It is not left to the individual to decide ; the 
lodge must determine if the necessity is such as will 
warrant the dragging before courts of law any 
8* 



178 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

question, wherein, or out of which, the interests of 
Freemasonry may be involved, or affected. 

Secondly. How should Freemasons behave, when at 
social and convivial enjoyment among themselves ? 

It was the custom of our ancient brethren always 
to have refreshment after the labors of the lodge 
were ended, a custom which ought yet to obtain, it 
being, as our learned brother Oliver hath it, on this 
principle Freemasonry was founded, to teach us how 
to behave, and so magnify our Creator, as well at our 
refreshment as at our labor ; therefore, (since the 
brethren always lingered some time after lodge hours 
for social intercourse, and inquiry after each others' 
welfare, partaking of such collation as the Stewards 
had provided,) for the prevention of excess, or over- 
indulgence, the following kindly but careful advice is 
given, both as to moderation in meats and drinks, and 
in the topics for conversation allowed : 

" You may enjoy yourselves " (after the lodge is 
closed and the brethren not gone) " with innocent 
mirth, treating one another according to ability, but 
avoiding all excess, or forcing any brother to eat or 
drink beyond his inclination, or hindering him from 
going when his occasions call him, or doing or saying 
any thing offensive, or that may forbid an easy and 
free conversation." 

I cannot but regret that the laudable custom of 



OF BEHAVIOR. 179 

refreshment has been so totally abandoned.* That 
the generation of Freemasons which has just preceded 
us abused the custom, and converted a wise and salu- 
tary Landmark into a social evil, I cannot see, is any 
sufficient reason for our removing it altogether. Let 
any brother reflect how the business of Freemasonry 
is now conducted where this old Landmark is wanting, 
and he must admit that we have lost fully as much as 
we have gained by the removal. Mirth, " innocent 
mirth," which is one of the healthful recreations of 
man's soul in this its mortal prison-house of flesh, is a 
thing almost unknown now at our lodges ; and one of 
the great social ends of the Institution is thereby lost. 
Look at a visiting brother now as he is introduced to 
the lodge ! There is scarce a member there, who has 
not just allowed himself time from home to get to 
Lodge at the opening, and who is not ready to leave 
without delay directly it is closed ; so that, except in 
that formal introduction during the business of the 
lodge, the poor visiting brother is scarcely made 
known, can hardly be said to meet with a welcome. 
How different this would be, if the custom of refresh- 
ment still prevailed ! A few moments spent in " inno- 
cent mirth " around the table would do more to establish 
an acquaintance with a strange brother than all the 

* In this Jurisdiction (Ga.) it is altogether given up. In So. Ca,, 
Is'ew York, and La., it is sometimes seen. 



180 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

formal introductions you can conceive of, repeated for 
a twelvemonth. 

Besides, it would occasion a more general attendance 
at our lodges. In many parts of the country, within 
my knowledge, the interest of the brethren in Free- 
masonry is waning. No — I will not say in Free- 
masonry, for I know of none who acknowledges less 
love for its principles ; but some inducement is wanting 
to draw the brethren out to the stated meetings of the 
lodge. The custom of refreshment would supply this. 
Nor do I fear to have it objected, that this would tend 
to a proficiency among our brethren in what our Eng- 
lish brothers call the " Knife and Fork Degree ;" for 
such objection can only come from those who have not 
reflected fully on the true design of Freemasonry, and 
the nature of man. Man is a gregarious animal, 
having a threefold nature, and is not perfect as an in- 
dividual until that nature, in each department, is fully 
and harmoniously developed. It is one of the designs 
of Freemasonry to do this. It is to prevent man from 
degenerating into a carnivorous beast of prey, retiring 
to his lair to crunch his bone in selfish silence, to the 
drying up of his social, moral, and religious elements ; 
and to teach him, that as God has made him omnivo- 
rous, and with liberal hand scattered His blessings on 
every side, so should he, as coming nearer to the image 
of his Maker, eschew all selfishness, and share with 



OF BEHAVIOR. 181 

others the blessings that have fallen to his lot. How 
to do this in an agreeable, fraternal way, can nowhere 
be better learned than in those schools consecrated, 
among other things, to brotherly love and universal 
benevolence. 

And why should such indulgence be allowed to run 
into excess? There is no necessity that it should. 
But, because there is a natural tendency in man to ex- 
cess in all things, for that very reason did Freemasonry 
establish the custom of refreshment ; to teach us to 
restrain our appetites, and indulge them only in that 
moderation which becomes rational and immortal 
beings, as we are. The Temperance of Freemasonry, 
my brethren, is not the one-idea Virtue, if Virtue it 
be, of the modern societies so called. It is old as 
Freemasonry itself, and consists not in abstemiousness, 
but, as St. Paul defines it, in moderation in all things. 
Accordingly we should be careful not to eat, drink, 
talk, sleep, or be wakeful, labor, or be idle, too much ; 
for excess in any or all of these is intemperance, and 
will prove hurtful. It should be the glory, as it is the 
professed aim, of a Freemason, not, in sullen discontent, 
to shun all pleasures, but to learn how to be moderate 
in his pleasures ; to subdue his passions, and conquer 
his evil habits ; and, by his example, so to teach others. 
The Virtue which is not tried, is not certainly known 
to be Virtue at all. As the excellent and wise Seneca 



182 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

hath happily said, " Occasional experiments of our 
moderation give us the best proof of our firmness 
and virtue." True happiness does not consist in the 
abundance of the means of gratifying our wants and 
desires, but rather in our ability to restrain our desires 
and so make our wants few and simple ; according to 
that other happy saying of Seneca, " I had rather beg 
of myself not to desire anything than of fortune to 
bestow it." It was to inculcate this principle that 
Freemasonry counts Temperance among the Cardinal 
Virtues. 

So that he bring not reproach on Freemasonry by 
his excess, I have no just cause of complaint against 
my brother for what he shall eat or what he shall 
drink. But I have reason, and it is my duty, to ad- 
monish him against excess in anything, that the Car- 
dinal Virtue Temperance be not dishonored through 
him. 

But, that this virtue is not confined to moderation 
in meat and drink only, of which St. Paul says no man 
should judge us, the Charge, in those matters wherein 
moderation is scarcely possible, is strict, and positively 
forbids the introduction of certain topics of conversa- 
tion into the lodge, at any time ; such as Politics, 
which it declares " has never yet conduced to the wel- 
fare of the lodge, nor ever will," we being, as Masons, 
" of all nations, tongues, kindreds, and languages ;" 



OF BEHAVIOR. 183 

and Religion, " we being, as Masons, of the Catholic 
Religion above mentioned." For these would " forbid 
an easy and free conversation," and be offensive to 
some, and so " blast our harmony and defeat our laud- 
able purposes ;" one of which is the very thing pro- 
posed, viz : a free and easy conversation, wherein an 
unrestrained intercourse and interchange of courte- 
sies may be had, and a free imparting and receiving 
of each others' gifts and " hints of knowledge," to our 
mutual profit and the advancement of Freemasonry. 
How little of this is done in the absence of the custom 
of Refreshment ! Each brother is for leaving with 
the least delay, impatient, sometimes, that the lodge is 
not sooner closed ; and thus one of the " laudable 
purposes" of the Institution is "defeated. 

I would not be understood to advocate the introduc- 
tion of intoxicating beverages into the lodge-room, 
though wine constituted a portion of the wages of our 
ancient brethren, and, in Masonry, is symbolic of Re- 
freshment. Far from it. Let each lodge judge for- 
itself the nature and kind of refreshment to be pro- 
vided, the brethren always remembering that the lodge 
funds are not to be used for the purpose, but that all 
refreshments must be paid for by individual contribu- 
tions among them. And if any find they cannot use 
refreshment without excess, and consequent injury to 
the cause of Freemasonry, in such case I would counsel 



184: MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

even the removal of a Landmark before the violation 
of a Cardinal Virtue. 

Thirdly. — How should Freemasons behave when they 
meet in the absence of strangers ? 

To this point, the next clause of the Charge, so 
truthfully, succinctly, and beautifully sets forth the 
duty of Freemasons, and how they should behave 
among themselves whenever they meet, that I feel it 
only necessary, though it may be largely commented 
on, to repeat it here. 

11 You are to salute one another in a courteous man- 
ner, as you will be instructed, calling each other 
brother, freely giving mutual instruction as shall be 
thought expedient, without being overseen or over- 
heard, and without encroaching upon each other, or 
derogating from the respect which is due to any brother, 
were he not a Mason ; for though all Masons are as 
brethren upon the same level, yet Masonry takes no 
honor from a man that he had before ; nay, rather it 
adds to his honor, especially if he has deserved well 
of the brotherhood, who must give honor to whom 
honor is due, and avoid ill manners.' 7 

This is explicit enough. But, I must, in passing, 
however, beg you to observe with me, how careful 
Freemasonry is to enjoin on all occasions against ill 
manners, particularly to abstain from the use of all 
rude and offensive language, and to show the utmost 



OF BEHAVIOR. 185 

courtesy in our bearing to each other, and, so far from 
detracting from a brother's merit or honor before the 
world, to delight rather to add to it; for is not our 
brother's honor our own ? And are we not all gentle- 
men, in the highest sense of the word ? A true Free- 
mason is always a true gentleman. 

Fourthly. — How shall Freemasons behave towards 
strangers not Masons ? 

The Charge thus points out our duty in this particu- 
lar : " You shall be cautious in your words and car- 
riage, that the most penetrating stranger shall not be 
able to discover or find out what is not proper to be 
intimated, and sometimes you shall divert a discourse 
and manage it prudently for the honor of the Worship- 
ful Fraternity." 

A great object with the Freemason should ever be, to 
keep inviolable the secrets of the Order ; therefore, he 
should be especially cautious in his " words and car- 
riage" before strangers. Thus, the newly-initiated 
brother is cautioned not to suffer his zeal to betray 
him into argument with those who, through ignorance, 
may ridicule Freemasonry ; and here we are forcibly 
advised, sometimes " to divert a discourse" that an- 
other may be solicitous to press upon us, and so " man- 
age it prudently for the honor of the Worshipful Fra- 
ternity." So, too, St. Paul advises, " Walk in wisdom 
toward them that are without, redeeming the time. 



186 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with 
salt, that ye may know how ye ought to receive every 
man."* 

Until he be Masonically made known to us as a 
brother, entitled to the privileges of the Order, and 
rightfully in possession of its secrets, every man is to 
us, in the sense here to be understood, a stranger. 
And we are to use the same caution in our " words and 
carriage " towards him, though he may, in some ill- 
defined way, have led us to doubt if he be not a 
brother. It should always be borne in mind that it is 
not our duty, but our unpardonable fault, to assist and 
lead others, strangers to us, into the way of making 
themselves known. 

Connected with this point is the subject of what is 
known in Freemasonry as " vouching " for another. I 
may have heard, from those I know to be Freemasons, 
that a certain one is a brother, but I do not know him 
to be such ; and if I do not know him, how can I 
vouch for him ? Accordingly, in this jurisdiction 
(Georgia) and in some others, nothing is regarded as 
justifying the " vouching " for another, but the having 
sat and labored in a lodge with him. And, though by 
some writers this is thought to be unnecessarily strict, 
I cannot so regard it. When we reflect on the various 
degrees in the " ability of cunning " possessed by Ma- 
s' Col. iv. 5, 6. 



OF BEHAVIOR. 187 

sons, and how easy some are to be satisfied in an ex- 
amination, it will hardly do to take every brother's 
voucher for another, on his own mere private examina- 
tion. For, while it is conceded that some are capable, 
in every regard, to conduct such examination with pru- 
dence and skill, and with safety to the fraternity, yet, 
who shall limit the privilege to only such ? Who shall 
decide who are such ? At all events, 'tis safer as we 
have it. And I cannot too severely reprobate the care- 
less practice some brethren are in, of desiring to make 
themselves known on all occasions, and in all places. 
We have no right to make indiscriminate use of the 
secrets of Freemasonry, or use them at all, except it 
be for our own real necessity, or for the good of Free- 
masonry itself. So much in passing. 

Fifthly. — How shall Freemasons behave at home, and 
among their neighbors ? 

The Charge saith : " You are to act as becomes a 
moral and wise man ; particularly, not to let your 
family, friends and neighbors know the concerns of the 
lodge, <fec, but wisely to consult your own honor and 
that of the ancient brotherhood, for reasons not to be 
mentioned here. You must also consult your health, 
by not continuing together too late, or too long from 
home after lodge hours are past, and by avoiding of 
gluttony or drunkenness, that your families be not 
neglected or injured, nor you disabled from working." 



188 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

" You are to act as a moral and wise man ! " If 
there were nothing more said, here is the whole field 
of morality and wisdom opened before us. A moral 
and a wise man ! Morality is a comprehensive term, 
and in its meaning includes many of the duties of life ; 
but wisdom covereth them all. Its soundings who 
shall take ? What line shall reach its depth ? Who 
shall attain to its height? Above all things, our 
ancient Grand Master recommends to us to get wis- 
dom ; and his picture of wisdom has never been sur- 
passed. Its beginning, he tells us, as Freemasonry 
taught then and teaches now, is the fear of the Lord. 
And, hear our ancient Grand Master himself : " When 
wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is 
pleasant unto thy soul ; discretion shall preserve thee, 
and understanding shall keep thee : to deliver thee 
from the way of the evil man, from the man that 
speaketh froward things ; who leave the paths of up- 
rightness to walk in the ways of darkness ; who re- 
joice to do evil, and delight in the frowardncss of 

the wicked ; whose ways are crooked For the 

upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall 
remain in it ; but the wicked shall be cut off from the 
earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it."* 

But I cannot dwell on this general theme, inviting 
as it is, but must remark on the more special duty en- 

" Prov. ii. 
8* 



OF BEHAVIOR. 189 

joined in this clause of the Charge, which is that of 
secrecy in relation to the concerns of the lodge. These 
are to be kept secret from our family, friends and 
neighbors. A wise injunction. The faculty of keep- 
ing a secret is one of the fruits of wisdom herself. He 
who cannot keep a secret is a fool. Secrecy is the 
janitor of the lodge, locking out the evil passions and 
strifes of the world, and carefully guarding within the 
more important interests of the fraternity. To these 
it is not required that I should specially, at this time, 
call your attention. 

The Charge warns against late hours. " You must 
also consult your health, by not continuing together 
too late, or too long from home, after lodge hours are 
past." The admirable division of time made by Free- 
masonry, should be ever observed as nearly as possible 
by every brother ; and while he does this he will not 
be apt to transgress far in either particular. Excess 
of all kinds, we have seen, is forbidden, in the inculca- 
tion of that Cardinal Virtue, Temperance. But that 
particular excess in eating and drinking, which some 
have come to regard alone as Intemperance, is here 
specially enjoined against : " And by avoiding of 
gluttony or drunkenness, that your families be not 
neglected or injured, nor you disabled from working." 
Which is so plain and explicit, as to need no com- 
mentary. 



190 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

Sixthly. — How shall Freemasons behave towards a 
strange brother ? 

This I have already, in some degree, touched under 
the fourth head ; but we meet here with more special 
instructions in this regard, which it is proper I should 
briefly notice. 

" You are cautiously to examine him, in such a 
method as Prudence shall direct you, that you may not 
be imposed upon by an ignorant, false pretender, whom 
you are to reject with contempt and derision." 

From this it appears, the examination of a strange 
brother is a thing not lightly to be entered upon. 
A hasty motion, a something, which, in a confused 
manner given, may have the momentary semblance of 
true Cunning, should not meet with our too ready 
recognition. On the contrary, we should proceed 
with wary prudence to examine a stranger in such a 
method as we think best. If we find him disposed to 
parade his proficiency in the more usual methods, we 
should shun these, and adopt a different course, direct- 
ing our inquiries to his knowledge rather of those 
things that are in appearance light and trivial, and for 
that very reason not so much regarded, yet which can- 
not escape the knowledge of true Cunning in the Art. 
If he be a brother truly instructed, he will be at no 
loss to satisfy your inquiries, and prove himself gen- 
uine and worthy. But if he be otherwise, an impostor, 



OF BEHAVIOR. 191 

who seeks to put himself on you with a few catch- 
words and ways, caught, haply, from some incautious 
brother, at a time when his Prudence slept, and he 
little imagined the curious eye of the profane was 
upon him, you will thus easily detect him ; and, once 
convinced that he is " an ignorant, false pretender/' 
you are to reject him, in the language of the Charge, 
" with contempt and derision." And here, again, you 
are carefully and expressly cautioned not to assist any 
one, as I have before observed, in making himself 
known. " Beware," says the Charge, " of giving him 
any hints of knowledge." 

But if, after such prudent examination as is herein 
intended, the strange brother prove himself worthy, a 
Tyrian indeed, in whom there is no guile, the Charge 
enjoins upon us to respect him accordingly. If he is 
in want, to " relieve him, or else direct him how he may 
be relieved ; " employ him for some days ourselves, or 
else recommend him to be employed. But in all this 
we are not " charged to do beyond our ability, only to 
prefer a poor brother, who is a good man and true, 
before any other poor people in the same circum- 
stances." 

I have already adverted to the objection made by 
some against this requirement. This objection is made 
in no just spirit. It comes from the enemies of Free- 
masonry, who dare not openly impugn its Charity, and 



192 MORAL DESIGN OP FREEMASONRY. 

therefore insidiously attack it by insinuating that their 
Charity is of a larger and more universal nature, 
while ours is contracted, and confined to the household 
of the faithful. You, my brethren, who know what 
Masonic Charity means, know wherein this objection 
fails. Our Charity is as wide as the Universe, but, as 
all Charity should, it begins at home. Even the gift 
of the New Commandment was made to the Jew first, 
and afterwards to the Gentile. But Freemasonry 
counts among its own only the " good and true ; " and 
are not the good and true to be preferred to the evil 
and the false ? We are not stinted in our Charity; we 
are only taught to prefer a brother, who is a good 
man and true. It were a great defect in Freemasonry 
if we were taught otherwise. That beautiful Charge, 
usually given at closing, contains the true doctrine. 
" Every human being is entitled to our kind offices. 
Do good unto all — but recommended more especially 
to the household of the faithful.'' 

Charity, my brethren, is the crowning glory of a 
Freemason. It is the theme of all others he most de- 
lights in. It has fired the hearts of the good and true 
in all ages. No description hath ever surpassed that 
of Saint Paul in the 13th chapter of his first letter to 
the Corinthian brethren ; but I have met with one 
taken from what was said to be an old Indian manu- 
script, which has often so forcibly struck me, that I 



OF BEHAVIOR. 193 

cannot refrain from reciting it here. It portrays the 
effects of Charity, or Benevolence, on the character, in 
these words : — 

" Happy is the man who hath sown in his breast the 
seed of benevolence ; the produce thereof shall be 
charity and love. 

" From the fountain of his heart shall rise rivers 
of goodness ; and the streams shall overflow for the 
benefit of mankind. 

" He assisteth the poor in their trouble, he rejoiceth 
in furthering the prosperity of all men. 

" He censureth not his neighbor ; he believeth not 
their tales of envy and malevolence, neither repeateth 
he their slanders. 

" He forgiveth the injuries of men, he wipeth them 
from his remembrance ; revenge and malice have no 
place in his heart. 

" For evil he returneth not evil ; he hateth not 
even his enemies, but requiteth their injustice with 
friendly admonition. 

" The griefs and anxieties of men excite his com- 
passion ; he endeavoreth to alleviate the weight of 
their misfortunes, and the pleasure of success reward- 
eth his labor. 

" He calmeth the fury, he healeth the quarrels of 
angry men, and preventeth the mischiefs of strife and 
animosity. 

9 



194 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

" He promoteth in his neighborhood peace and 
good-will, and his name is repeated with praise and 
benediction." * 

I know not if the old Indian writer of these lines 
were a brother, but his words do sound strangely like 
the true words of the Temple. 

But, after all the foregoing Charges have been 
recited, hear the last, most noble, and beautiful Charge 
of all! 

" Finally : all these Charges you are to observe, 
and also those that shall be communicated to you in 
another way ; cultivating brotherly love, the founda- 
tion and Cape-stone, the cement and glory of this an- 
cient fraternity, avoiding all wrangling and quarrel 
ling, all slander and back-biting, nor permitting others 
to slander any honest brother, but defending his 
character, and doing him all good offices, as far as is 
consistent with your honor and safety, and no farther. 
And if any of them do you injury, you must apply to 
your own or his lodge ; and from thence you may ap- 
peal to the Grand Lodge at the Quarterly Communica- 
tion, and from thence to the Annual Grand Lodge, as 
has been the ancient laudable custom of our fore- 
fathers in every nation ; never taking a legal course, 
but when the case cannot be otherwise decided, and 
patiently listening to the honest and friendly advice of 

* Economy of Human Life < art. I. chap. 3, 



OF BEHAVIOR. 195 

Master and Fellows, when they would prevent you 
going to law with strangers, or would excite you to 
put a speedy end to all lawsuits, that so you may mind 
the affair of Masonry with the more alacrity and suc- 
cess ; but with respect to Brothers or Fellows at law, 
the Master and Brethren shall kindly offer their me- 
diation, which ought to be thankfully submitted to by 
the contending Brethren ; and if that submission is 
impracticable, they must, however, carry on their 
process, or lawsuit, without wrath and rancor, (not in 
the common way,) saying or doing nothing which may 
hinder brotherly love, and good offices to be renewed 
and continued ; that all may see the benign influence 
of Masonry, as all true Masons have done from the 
beginning of the world, and will do to the end of 
Time." 

I will only pause to notice here the admirable office 
of brotherly love, as depicted and required in this 
old Charge. You will notice that the office of brother- 
ly love is not made to consist alone in our refraining 
from injuring, slandering, backbiting, etc., a brother, 
ourselves, but that we shall not permit others to do so 
either, but shall defend our brother's character and 
honor, and do him all kind offices in our power, con- 
sistently with our own honor and safety. What more 
would you have ? What more could Freemasonry do, 
consistently with its own honor, and the equal love it 



196 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

bears to all the brotherhood ? How lovingly it cau- 
tions against all strifes and lawsuits, that, freed from 
these, we may attend to the affairs of Masonry, the 
Lord's work, " with the more alacrity and success ! " 

And now, brethren, let us briefly review the course 
and design of these Lectures, make a short application 
of them to ourselves, and I will conclude the series. 

In the first place, then, it has been my object to 
familiarize your minds, as much as I could by this 
method, and in the time allowed, with the old Charges 
of a Freemason, which contain the fundamental prin- 
ciples of our Order, and are the only true, ancient 
written Landmarks of the Institution. In doing this, 
however, I have so directed my remarks, as you will 
have perceived, as to demonstrate the proposition, that 
Freemasonry is the Science of human life. That Free- 
masonry is a science, is admitted. But all science has 
relation to man. "The proper study of mankind is 
man." Take man out of the prospect, and science, 
humanly speaking, there is none. That must be the 
noblest of all sciences, then, which has man himself 
for its subject and object ; and, by the same conse- 
quence, must include within itself all other sciences. 
Now, I have shown, or endeavored to show, from these 
old Charges themselves, that every care hath been 
taken to institute and provide for this science the 



OF BEHAVIOR. 197 

proper basis in principle ; for without sound principle 
there could be no sound progress. I have shown that 
this has been done in the First Charge, wherein is laid 
the only sure foundation for a science of such dignity, 
and of such special aims, viz : God and Religion ; 
that this foundation being laid, and the duty of obe- 
dience to God proven, the consequent duty of obe- 
dience to his ministers is made to appear in the Second 
Charge, wherein obedience to the Civil Magistrates, 
Supreme and Subordinate, who are the " ministers of 
God to do His pleasure," is enjoined ; that the proper 
care is had for the right tuition of the science, in the 
providing of schools, it appearing from the Third 
Charge that our Lodges are those schools ; that Teach- 
ers, duly trained for the office of instructing the pupils, 
and rendering them proficient in the science, are also 
provided, as is seen in the Fourth Charge, which sets 
forth the qualifications and duties of Masters, Ward- 
ens, etc. ; that certain rules and regulations, adapted 
to the method of instruction used, are further provided, 
for the conducting the exercises of the schools, and 
that these appear in the Fifth Charge, which directs 
how the pupils, called the craft, shall be managed 
when in school, or at work; and, lastly, that the right 
influences and effects should be declared and shown, 
as resulting from the science, in the conduct of its pro- 
fessors and scholars in the various relations of life, and 



198 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

that these are given in the Sixth and last Charge, which 
is the one we have been considering this evening. 

When to these is added the constant, jealous incul- 
cation of the various excellent practical tenets and 
principles, which are " communicated in another way," 
we find that every requisite care is taken to so instruct 
and train the Freemason, that if he will only heed the 
rules, and follow and practise the precepts given him 
in charge, he cannot fail to discharge, acceptably to 
his Maker, creditably to himself, and to the honor 
of the Worshipful Fraternity, the whole duty of 
man, thereby approving FREEMASONRY THE 
SCIENCE OF HUMAN LIFE. Q. E. D. 

And now, my brethren, what shall we find in him, 
who, thus instructed, perfects himself in the science, 
fulfils the laws of the Order, and practises the duties 
of the brotherhood ? I answer, Piety to God ; obe- 
dience to Civil Authority ; diligent attention to 
School regulations, the duties of the Lodge ; respect 
and reverence for his Teachers, its Officers ; personal 
purity, and exemplification in his own life of all the 
Virtues ; love to the Brethren, and Charity to all man- 
kind. 

But a brother, an English Divine, hath so well 
summed up the character of a good Freemason, that I 
cannot do better than use his words. 

" The true Mason is not only instructed in all those 



OF BEHAVIOR. 199 

principles and sentiments which lead him to fear and 
obey his God, but he also manifests in all his conduct 
the most constant and substantial proof of this his 
love to God, by the love he exercises towards his 
fellow-creatures. His conduct towards his fellow- 
creatures, if he goes on in his Masonic improvement, 
tallies in a direct parallel with his duty to his God. 
His heart is well affected with awful reverence 
towards the former, with sincerity and affection 
towards the latter. His tongue utters naught respect- 
ing either, but what may justly be expected to flow 
from those same sentiments. Hence he takes not the 
name of the One in vain, nor does he defame the 
character of the other. He speaks not blasphemous- 
ly of his God, nor does he wantonly slander his neigh- 
bor. With him, praise continually waiteth for God in 
Zion, and, with him, the character of his fellow-crea- 
tures is always sacred, always unsullied. 

" In the dedication of his time, he has regard to all 
God's commandments, and the advice of all God's 
servants. He spends a portion of each day and the 
seventh of each week to the honor of his Maker's 
name ; and thus, fervent in spirit, he maketh his 
election sure, working out his salvation with fear and 
trembling. The rest of the time he wisely portions 
out for his own and his family's welfare ; reserving a 
due portion of the fruits of his laborious hours, to 



200 MORAL DESIGN OP FREEMASONRY. 

give, or to purchase from others, instruction for the 
ignorant, clothes for the naked, bread for the hungry, 
drink for the thirsty, physic for the sick, consolation 
for the afflicted, and comfort for the distressed. The 
voice of distressed infancy in unconfined melody 
resounds his name ; and the widow's tears of joy in- 
scribe his praises. Indeed, he knows of no sorrow in 
the cup of another but his compassion soon makes him 
a partaker ; for with a Christian sympathy he weeps 
with all who weep ; he knows of no joy in the heart 
of another but his affection makes him also a partaker; 
he envies no one his prosperity, but heartily rejoices 
with those who do rejoice. Thus, in the church, and 
in all the duties of religion, he is a pillar indeed. He is 
exemplary in his piety, perseveringly constant in his 
devotions ; nor does the sword of persecution, the 
cares or pleasures of the world, the laughter of fools, 
or the ridicule of infidelity, move him from his God, 
or deter him from his public or private duty. In his 
neighborhood, his example is copied, and his name and 
character are proverbial. Those who are younger 
venerate him ; his companions love him ; his superiors 
extol him. In his family, he is high without severity, 
and condescending without meanness ; his commands 
are gentle — indeed, his wishes are his commands ; for 
all are equally ready to answer his desires. To his 
wife, he is the tender husband — not the usurping lord ; 



OF BEHAVIOR. 201 

to his children, he is the kind, the providential father — 
not the domineering tyrant ; to his servants, he is 
equally the friend, as the superior. Thus ruling, he is 
obeyed with cheerfulness ; and thus his home, whether 
a cottage, or a palace, is, while he is present, the habita- 
tion of peace ; when there, he leaves it with reluctance, 
and when absent, his return is expected with a pleasing- 
avidity." * 

I cannot conclude these Lectures, ray brethren, 
without a practical application to ourselves. It is in 
the practice of the Freemasonic Virtues, their daily, 
constant exhibition in our lives, the true value of Free- 
masonry consists. This is its final, great design. 
Without this, our proficiency, whatever it may be, is 
of no account, will be of no account, in the great day 
when that Temple not made with hands shall come to 
be fitted together, and we shall look to have our places 
assigned us as living stones (which we masonically, 
mystically represent) in the completed Building, by the 
Great Master-Builder Himself. Are we alive to the 
great doctrines and teachings of Freemasonry ? Are 
we exemplifying, in our delay walk and conversation, 
the principles contained and enjoined in these old 
Charges, and in Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty, ex- 
hibiting before the World our Faith, Hope, and Char- 
ity ? our Faith in God — our Hope in Immortality 

* Innewood. 
9* 



202 MORAL DESIGN OF FREEMASONRY. 

— our Charity to all mankind ? If we are, it is well 
with us. If we are not, it is time we should look to 
it, lest, professing secrets which can make us wise in 
the Science of this life, we miss the end of all life, and 
fail to gain an entrance into that Celestial Lodge 
above, where, we say, all good Masons hope to arrive 
at the last. Beware, my brethren, that we be not like 
those described of old by St. Jude— " Spots in our 
feasts of charity . . . clouds .without water, carried 
about of winds ; trees whose fruit witliereth, without 
fruit, twice dead, plucked up b} T the roots ; raging 
waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame : 
wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness 
of darkness forever." I pray you, let us not deceive 
ourselves. 

But, if any be worse than this, wilful pretenders to 
a love of Freemasonry, and to an interest in its prin- 
ciples, while at heart they care nothing for them, I 
beseech you, by the common destiny of our race, and 
as you value your best interests, choose you now which 
you will be, — a Freemason indeed, or a profane indeed. 
For be assured of this, that God, who is at the founda- 
tion of Freemasonry, as of all Religion, holds nothing 
in such contempt, nor will more surely punish any sin 
so much as Hypocrisy. And from His ALL-SEEING 
EYE who shall hide his heart ? 

One of the first lessons taught us, as Freemasons, as 



OP BEHAVIOR, 203 

it is one of the last, is to pray. Let us, by our con- 
tinual prayers, my brethren, beseech our Heavenly 
Father to make and keep us all of one mind ; to pros- 
per the great cause of Freemasonry, until the knowl- 
edge of Him shall spread over all the earth, and all 
mankind be united in one brotherhood, as children 
indeed of one Father ; and that we may, each of us, 
in our degree, and according to our means, contribute, 
both by our precept and by our living, to this great 
end ; having it to say, with Saint Paul, " Herein do I 
exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of 
offence toward God, and toward man." 

And now, my good brethren, may God be with us ; 
directing us by His Wisdom ; strengthening us with 
His Power ; and of His great Goodness enabling us 
to carry out all our just designs, in the Beauty of 
Holiness, to the honor of His Great Name ! 

AMEN. SO MOTE IT BE ! 



THE VISION OF ACIIMED. 



obscuris clauchmt convallibus umbrae. 

VlRG. 

somewhere there must be Light. 

Festus. 



(205) 



TO 

THE SONS OF LIGHT, 

WHERESOEVER DISPERSED, 
THIS POEM 

|g Jfrain'nallg fUbuatefr. 

BY 

THE AUTHOR. 



(207) 



PREFACE. 



One of the finest, if not the best, of the definitions of Free- 
masonry, is that which describes it — " A beautiful system of 
morality, veiled in allegory, and illustrated by symbols." 

Allegory was a favorite method of instruction with the 
writers of the Augustan age of English literature. It is a 
figure natural to Oriental languages, in which it was first 
employed; hence, in those beautiful examples of Allegory 
we have in the visions of the Spectator, the scene is always 
laid in the East. But there is an appropriateness beyond this 
in laying the scene of an Allegory, designed to illustrate the 
Philosophy of Freemasonry, in the East. In the East the 
Science had its origin ; from the East first came Religion, 
and the Arts and Sciences, and to the East the Craftsman is 
yet directed to look as the source of all Light. 

The well-informed Freemason will be at no loss to apply 
the following Allegory to the interpretation of the Philosophy 
of Ancient Craft Masonry, which originally consisted, as he 
will remember, of the Three Degrees, including the Order of 
the Holy Royal Arch. And, though the application will at 

(209) 



210 PREFACE. 

first appear novel, it is only because it is neglected to be 
made in the lodges, where the Ritual Lectures are given, 
too generally, without commentary and without interest. 
Shunning to write what it is not lawful I should, I have 
aimed, in this Poem, to present to the mind of the Craftsman 
the natural lessons of the Degrees, each and all, which, I 
doubt not, will be at once seen, felt and owned by all. If it 
shall have the effect to make the Masters of Lodges more 
diligent in this regard, and earnestly seek to impress on 
the mind of the neophyte, as he is Entered, Passed and 
Raised, the true meaning of the Degrees, I shall have reaped 
the full measure of my reward. 

A word in advance of criticism. The object of a work 
must be considered in every attempt at a fair estimate of its 
merit. The object of this Poem — its chief object — is specially 
didactic ; and though it is not meant to waive all claim to 
poetical merit, that — the didactic — must be its chief character- 
istic and distinguishing excellence. Whatever interferes 
with that must be sacrificed to its higher claims. I have, 
therefore, used an Alexandrine, occasionally, perhaps more 
frequently than would be justified by the severe taste of the 
critic who has fashioned his creed on the example of Pope 
and his school, when the full sense sought to be conveyed 
(Masonic sense, I speak of, which often depends on a particu- 
lar phraseology,) required it, rather than weaken, perhaps 
lose it altogether, by a too nice attention to a rigid rule of 
poetic specialty. 

But, with due deference to the critics who condemn with- 



PREFACE. 211 

out stint the use of the Alexandrine in English heroics, I 
think too much stress has been laid on Mr. Pope's lines — 

" A needless Alexandrine," &c., 

if, indeed, its sense has not been entirely mistaken. Pope 
was condemning the poetasters of his day — a class at all 
times obnoxious to the keenest shafts of criticism — who fill 
their songs with stereotyped rhymes, pay more attention to 
their music and rhythm than their sense, and, after inflicting 
their dulness on the reader for allotted time, 

" Then at the last, and only couplet fraught 
With some unmeaning thing they call a thought, 
A needless Alexandrine ends the song, 
Which, like a wounded snake, drags its slow length along." 

It was by no means his intent to condemn the proper use 
of the Alexandrine, nor to imply that it necessarily retarded 
the movement of the verse ; for, in the same poem, only 
fourteen lines below, he makes use of one himself; and, too, 
for the purpose of expressing swiftness in immediate contrast 
with slowness of motion, when he was professedly giving, 
both by precept and example, the poetical canon — 



The sound must seem an echo to the sense. 



Thus, 



" When Ajax strives some rock's vast weight to throw, 
The line, too, labors, and the words move slow ; 
Not so when swift Camilla scours the plain, 
Flies o'er the unbending corn, and skims along the main." 

Dryden, by many thought Pope's master in song, as by all 
in genius, made frequent use of the Alexandrine ; and it is in 



212 PREFACE. 

his bold use of it, and his impatience of narrow rule, the 
charm of his verse consists, forever varied and varying with 
his subject. 

That the music of Dryden's verse is perfect, Pope himself 
allows, in the following couplet — 

u The power of music all our hearts allow, 
And what Timotheus was, is Drydeu now." 

But I leave the Poem to its fate. Perhaps I have said 

more already than I should, and what I have said will only 

call attention to that which might have escaped notice 
otherwise. 

Marietta, Ga., February 1st, 1860. 



THE VISION OF ACHMED. 



There's life within our life, a secret spring, 
Wide from our action and a separate thing. 
Man mixes with his kind, but who shall tell 
His thoughts that sadden, or his hopes that swell ? 
The footstep's fall, the gesture of the hand, 
Portray a circumstance all understand ; 
We know 'tis action — but what makes us move ? 
The mind's or body's sickness— whether Love, 
Or Hate, Hope, Fear, Ambition, what you will — 
Must still be question'd, but unanswer'd still. 

n. 
Achmed was young — Achmed was noble, proud, 
In station and in thought above the crowd. 
Born to high rank, slaves waited on his nod, 
And, were this earth-life all, he were a god. 

(213) 



214 THE VISION OF ACHMED. 

What others sought, to him unbidden came, 
Attracted by the lustre of his name. 
Pow'r, Pleasure, Beauty, followed in his train, 
And woo'd his notice, and woo'd not in vain. 
Each, in its turn, he, eager, met and tried, 
And turn'd from each yet more dissatisfied. 
Thus blest and tempted, all who knew him sigh'd 
To be like him possessed, and like him tried ; 
But, while he saw that Envy still pursued, 
He felt he had not yet attained the good : 
Life had a myst'ry yet unsolved for him ; 
Till it was clear, all other joys were dim, 
And, day by day, more restless still he grew, 
In the absorbing quest of what is — true. 



hi. 

It was a Summer eve — all nature lay 
Panting, at setting of the burning day, 
Whose heat the cooling dews of Persian night 
Mellow into a sense of pure delight. 
The life, that walls enclos'd while yet the Sun 
Above th' horizon lash'd his coursers on, 
Now pour'd abroad on house-top and in street 
With joyous murmurs made the hours more fleet. 
The Moon, with paly crescent far on high, 
Sought with the Twilight to divide the sky,- 



THE VISION OF ACHMED. 215 

And over all their mingled light a hue 

Shed, rich and glowing, charming to the view. 

Where the cool stream, its leafy banks between, 

Lent a new charm unto the peaceful scene, 

Retir'd from " the stir, the hum, the shock of men," 

Achmed, reclining, still with troubled ken, 

Pursued his musings. And the fretting stream, 

That murmur'd at his feet, to him did seem 

Fit emblem of man's life. Now placid, clear, 

Ruffled anon and turbid, doth appear 

Its face ; nor where its waters clearest show, 

Can you detect the slime that lies below. 

The friend to-day exhibits to your eyes 

In seeming zealous truth and fairest guise, 

To-morrow, haply, if the change will^a?/, 

Will, as your foe, a greater zeal display. 

Thus life presents no object to the mind, 

Save what may be to selfish end confin'd ; 

And every aspiration for true worth, 

Unselfish aim, is stifled in its birth. 

But to what end doth all this turmoil lead, 

This daily strife for more than what we need — 

To carry our poor forms, with all we have, 

One day nearer to their dark home — the grave ? 

For this is all — his wealth, his honors past, 

There must the rich man with the poor lie down at last. 



216 THE VISION OF ACHMED. 

IV. 

Lost in the theme, perplex'd, disorder'd, sad, 

Tir'd Nature further revery forbade, 

And, sinking into momentary rest, 

A sudden calm pervaded Achmed's breast : 

And, lo ! a light, as of young dawn, appear'd, 

And a mysterious presence near declar'd. 

He turn'd, and, with a sense of secret awe, 

Close by his side a radiant figure saw. 

Reverend, with badges of undoubted age, 

A youthful vigor yet impressed the Sage ; 

His flowing beard with frost of years was white, 

But still his step was firm, and keen his sight ; 

His years a certain air of wisdom spoke, 

Their full effect his cheerful aspect broke. 

A leathern girdle, white, with emblems trae'd, 

Confin'd his flowing garb around his waist, 

And o'er his form august an added grace 

Was breath'd from the benev'lence in his face. 



While Achmed gaz'd, intent, with wond'ring eyes, 
Ere yet recover'd from his first surprise, 
The Sage, with kindling eye, his love confess'd, 
And in benignant tone him thus address'd : 



THE VISION OF ACHMED. 217 

" Son ! thou 7 rt troubled — to me confide thy care ; 
Can I remove ? If not, I yet may share." 

" Father ! my care thou hardly canst remove," 
Achmed replied, 

" Except thy skill above 
The skill of mortals in its virtue prove. 
And for thy generous offer, kind as rare, 
Whatever it be, I would not have thee share ; 
Since, if thou hast, 'twould add to thy distress, 
Nor make to me my sorrow aught the less." 

" Wrong is thy reasoning, Son ! The God above, 
Who made, impressed on all the law of Love ; 
And thus, what gifts, what blessings may appear 
To be his favor'd lot, man needs must share 
With others, or by sad experience find 
His blessings all their sweets have left behind. 
As joys unshared contain much less of joy, 
So mingling sorrows will their smart destroy. 
Unbosom'd griefs with half their anguish part, 
But self-indulged will rend the stoutest heart. 
As lightning. through the universe diffus'd, 
By Heaven's high law for gracious purpose us'd, 
Sustains, preserves and aninfates the world, 
Concentred — strongest oaks like twigs are hurl'd 
10 



218 THE VISION OF ACHMED. 

By its all-powerful, devastating roll — 

So Passion, in the general human soul, 

Impels, directs for good, preserves from ills, 

But, gathered in one lonely bosom — kills. 

Thus, too, the means by single mortal held, 

Tho' unabus'd, but little good may yield, 

But when diffused thro' diff 'rent hands and ways, 

Will, heaven-blest, full crop of mercies raise. 

The stream, confin'd within its bed, will flow, 

And to a few its goodly gifts bestow ; 

But, spread in vapor and in cloud, extends 

Its blessings choice far as the zephyr sends, 

And on a thousand fields in grateful show'rs descends." 



" Father ! thy words revive my hopes anew, 
For something in my heart approves them true. 
Truth I seek, but thro' all this wild'ring maze 
Of empty man and his deceitful ways, 
Falsehood reigns rampant yet, and I can see 
But dark, impenetrable mystery. 
Selfish in all his thoughts, for self he lives, 
And unto self alone his worship gives. 
For others' woe he can affect a tear, 
But not with them consent his joys to share. 
His thoughts, his words, his deeds are all awry, 
And almost make the universe a lie. 



THE VISION OF ACHMED. 219 

Oh, could I, freed from doubt, to Truth attain, 
Whate'er the sacrifice, whate'er the pain, 
My soul would all a willing barter pay, 
Her dwelling-place to know, and learn the way ; 
More blest to live in her pursuit than be 
Possess'd of all the world beside may guaranty, 
And, when at length attain'd, completely blest 
In her all-satisfying orb to rest." 

" Thine aim is noble, Son ! but wouldst thou see 
The way to Truth and Eden, follow me ! 
Lay all thy sad complainings now aside, 
And with a willing soul obey thy guide." 

VI. 

Achmed arose — new hope new life inspired, 
And with a new-born zeal his soul was fir'd. 
With equal pace he press'd upon the Sage, 
Who still contriv'd his interest to engage. 
In fair proportion, soon, before his eyes 
He saw a stately Temple slow arise, 
With tower and turret pointing to the skies. 
Design and workmanship appear'd to meet 
In such harmonious union, so complete, 
That, gazing on its lines, he scarcely thought 
Such fabric could by human hands be wrought ; 



220 THE VISION OF ACHMED. 

But rather that Almighty Power had joined 
To finish what Almighty Wisdom had designed. 
His guide pursuing to the outer Court, 
Achmed was .Entering, when in accents short, 
And with whole manner changed, as if impress'd 
With holy awe, the Sage him thus address'd : 

" Put off thy shoes — for this is holy ground, 
And here the vestibule of Heaven is found ; 
Divest thyself of all external show, 
For moral worth alone within may go." 

VII. 

With trembling joy, Achmed in haste obey'd ; 
The trappings of his rank aside were laid, 
And, with his mind in meek and lowly frame, 
He gave himself to honor, or to shame. 
So doth the child its infant will submit 
Unto the parents' love that guardeth it : 
And Wisdom's pupil like a child must be, 
Ere he may learn Life's golden mystery. 
Oh, Faith ! how doth thy faculty supply 
To simple, blinded man an inward eye, 
Enabling him, with wise humility, 
To seize in verity what angels see ! 
As Achmed enter'd through the folding door, 
His guide, first giving signal known before, 



THE VISION OF ACHMED. 221 

From Oriental eminence he heard, 
As from a Master, most inspiring word. 
Onward — how far he knew not (for his sight 
In darkness shrouded, he perceived no light, 
But sounds he heard whose might he inly felt,) 
Till, near an altar stopt, he humbly knelt, 
With hand upon its sacred volume laid, 
And 'fore high Heav'n a solemn cov'nant made. 

VIII. 

Scarce was it ended, when, from worldly ties 
Unbound and freed, Light came unto his eyes, 
And, looking, up, he saw a princely form 
Approach with cordial air and presence warm. 
He rose to meet him, and with friendly grasp 
Each seiz'd the other's hand in mystic clasp ; 
And thus the Teacher spoke, while many an ear 
Around drank in his words of wisdom there : 

" Welcome, my Brother ! " Achmed's bosom thrill 'd 
The words to hear, and tears his eyelids fill'd — 
" Welcome, my Brother, to our mystic band, 
Sworn foes to falsehood, in whatever land ! 
Thou seekest Truth : 'tis well — they only find 
Who give unto the search their heart and mind. 
Nor these alone — hands, too, they must employ 
The strongholds of old Error to destroy. 



222 THE VISION OF ACHMED. 

Yes, Brother ! Truth, Eternal Truth, demands 

Of all her sons whole hearts and active hands ; 

Hearts warm to feel the Right, and minds to know, 

Hands strong the Right, perceiv'd and felt, to do. 

A Trinity in man doth thus reside, 

In whose united power our hopes abide. 

Who knoweth Truth, his fellow-man will love ; 

Who loves his fellow, him will Truth approve ; 

And from these two — from Truth and Love — doth flow 

A Spirit active, strong, good works to show. 

And in this Trinity is He, whose name 

Ineffable to find should be thine aim. 

For God is Truth, and God is Love, and these 

Their Spirit send to all whose tempers please. 

But he with whom their Spirit dwells cannot 

Be idle sharer of the common lot, 

But work, and cast his daily works abroad, 

A tribute to his Father and his God. 

Know thou that all mankind are children all 

Of one Almighty Parent, whom they call 

By divers names, whose Essence varies not, 

Nor is His care coniin'd to any spot. 

And, tho' we all, by trespass and by sin, 

Have lost His nearer presence, we may win 

His love again, and gain His holy peace 

By penitence. His mercies never cease : 



THE VISION OF ACHMED. 223 

But, good and bad His daily, blessings prove, 

Recipients all of His paternal love. 

As one Great Love 'round all thus winds its chain, 

Our hope the same, one mind we should retain. 

Tho' scattered far and wide by evil fate, 

The common heritors of one estate, 

We should, with one united effort, strive 

In the same household all once more to hive. 

This is our Father's spirit, Brother ! let 

Its influence in thine inmost nature get. 

Our faith in Him 'tis ours to evince thus. 

And love our brethren as He loveth us. 

Be thou not idle, if His grace thou'dst win, 

For, by His law, all idleness is sin : 

And Love, if truly grounded in the heart, 

Doth never play the useless sluggard's part, 

But lives in action, and by labor thrives. 

Love is not selfish, but for others strives ; 

Its object puts all other things before, 

And sacrifices self that object to secure. 

Thus we, by Love's constraining influence bound. 

No selfish ends unto ourselves propound, 

But, loving God our Father, for His sake 

Unto our hearts, as equal brethren, take 

His erring children, men of every land, 

All fus'd into one mighty, mystic band, 



224 THE VISION OP ACHMED. 

Whose bounties are to all th' afflicted given — 

An offering most acceptable to Heaven. 

If thou hast, blindly, liv'd for self alone. 

Nor thought what care for others' weal thou'st shown, 

Go, now, remould thy life, be good and true, 

God's glory in thy fellow's good pursue, 

With steady purpose seek of life the end, 

And blessings on thy footsteps will attend. 

And, that thy feet from truth may never slide, 

This holy Book I give thee for thy guide. 

Work, my Brother ! let thy charities flow, 

And like sweet incense to our Father go. 

Thy labor and thy love He will approve, 

And bless thee with His more abundant love. 

Be not dismay'd, if Evil sometimes seem 

To overcome the Good ; God will redeem 

The Right at last : His justice never fails 

To make an even balance in His scales. 

Have faith in God, His aid He will impart 

And by His grace give strength unto thy heart. 

Have hope in Heav*n, for as thou here dost live, 

Thy soul o'er all this world will yet survive. 

Have charity to all, for that alone 

Will pass above, when all things else are gone. 

For this be all thy toil, for this thy care, 

His glory here to speed, to Him draw near. 



THE VISION OP ACHMED. 225 

In this man's spirit often faints : His ear 
Is always open to thine earnest pray'r ; 
His all-sustaining strength, if thou wilt seek, 
He will bestow on thee, when thou art weak. 
And let it cheer thy fainting soul to know, 
Thro' whatsoever scenes thou'rt doom'd to go, 
Forever near, in mystic union bound, 
Thousands of hearts fraternal will be found. 
Now, God be with thee, Brother ! and direct 
Thee by His Wisdom, with His Power protect, 
And thro' His Goodness make thee to fulfil 
Thy works in Beauty, to His Holy will." 

IX. 

The Teacher ceased — then sounded full and free 
The loud response — " Amen ! so mote it be." 

Achmed look'd up, astonish'd at the sound, 
And, lo ! a sea of heads he saw around ; 
A multitude no man could number, tier 
On tier appear'd interminable there, 
Far as the eye could pierce, at work address'd, 
With the same spirit on each face impress'd. 
But even as he gaz'd, a paly shade 
Settled o'er all, and each began to fade 
From view — his sage conductor last, whom fain 
Achmed would question, but essay'd in vain. 
10* 



226 THE VISION OP ACHMED. 

He woke, surpris'd : below th' horizon's rim 
The Moon had fall'n, and Nature's face was dim. 
He rose, and homeward wending* through the Night, 
Taught by the phantasm, walk'd in certain Light. 



Time passed — Achmed with diligence pursued 
All labor that gave promise of some good. • 
Day after day he more industrious grew, 
And hour on hour unto his work more true, 
And thence his former cares were lessen'd, too. 
The wealth lie gather'd and increas'd he gave, 
Not unto self, nor poorly sought to save, 
By adding pile on pile, to gild his grave, — 
But with a lib'ral hand unto the poor, 
Who ne'er turn'd empty from his open door. 
His charities flow'd out in constant stream, 
And were of ev'ry tongue the grateful theme ; 
Till ' large as Achmed's charity ! ' was said, 
In highest praise of others' liberal deed. 
Life, in such duty day by day employ'd, 
As he had never done Achmed enjoy'd ; 
Mix'd with his kind in easy intercourse, 
And by example gave the fullest force, 
As every Craftsman true and faithful ought, 
To tenets he had been so strangely taught. 



THE VISION OF ACHMED. 227 

XI. 

A change came o'er him, and unfrequent now 

Did lie in wonted place his time allow. 

Restless and pensive he became once more, 

And shunn'd the duty he had sought before. 

Men marvell'd what mischance could thus have pass'd, 

And such dark shadow o'er his spirit cast ; 

But none the myst'ry could unravel, tho' 

Many had sought his secret grief to know. 

Again, disturb'd, at early eventide, 

Achmed resorted to the river's side, 

And, shunning notice, sadly musing, sought, 

In melancholy mood, the self-same spot, 

Where erst the pregnant phantasm gave relief — 

Removed the burden of his former grief. 

Dark yet remain'd the mystery of Life ; 

With doubts man's future prospect still was rife. 

In power circumscrib'd, what could he do 

His fellow-man's fall'n nature to renew ? 

To clothe the naked, and the hungry feed, 

Were noble acts of charity, indeed ; 

But something more was needed to supply 

The cravings of the mind, and satisfy. 

Oh, when, releas'd from care, and unconfin'd, 

Should he the presence of his Father find ! 



228 THE VISION OF ACHMED. 

XII. 

Wearied, he slept — the Sage again appear'd, 
And in kind tones his presence thus declar'd : 

" Troubled again, my Son ! what new distress 
Fills thy sad heart with such uneasiness ?" 

" Father ! with joy thy glad return I hail ; 

I long into thine ear to pour my tale. 

Since by thy kindly aid and guidance taught, 

I have in charitable mission wrought; 

Lov'd all mankind as brethren all, and gave 

To their relief of all the goods I have. 

In this indulgence hath my yearning grown, 

And for their ills past my relief I moan. 

The naked cloth'd, the hungry fed, there still 

Remains in man a want I cannot till. 

Good deeds themselves do thus beget a pain, 

Since all Benev'lence does is shortlived and in vain. 

Wherefore continue the unceasing strife, 

When all the profit ends with natural life ? 

My spirit wearies of the hopeless toil, 

And yearns to cultivate more fruitful soil ; 

Or to some lonely cell betake this mortal coil." 

" My Son ! if, now, thou dost remember yet 
The lessons taught thee, thou canst not forget, 
' Love is not selfish,' wearies not in deed, 



THE VISION OF ACHMED. 229 

But labors more the more its objects need ; 
O'er greater want it broods with greater care, 
And never yields its Hope nnto Despair. 
1 Cast bread upon the waters/ none can know 
How far its Heav'n-bless'd sustenance may go. 
Something for thy relief thou yet may'st learn, 
Let us unto the Temple's porch return." 

XIII. 

They went — nor far had gone, when passing fair, 
Rose the rich Temple in the evening air. 
'Tween two chaste columns, curiously cast, 
Memorials of God's goodness in the past, 
With even step the twain to inner floor 
Pass'd thro 7 the richly carv'd and brazen door. 
Again there came to Achmed's list'ning ear 
Words of strange meaning as he pass'd on there 
And when at length he paus'd, his eye surveyed 
The trophies of all Art and Science, laid 
Profusely 'round. Upon the walls there hung 
The Painter's image of the Poet's song ; 
Statues, in sculptur'd marble wrought, display'd 
The human form divine in every shade ; 
With such nice touch finish'd, and Truth design'd, 
To see them move would scarce surprise the mind. 
Designs, on ample folds of parchment trac'd, 
Of every useful Art about were plac'd ; 



230 THE VISION OF ACHMED. 

And books the treasures of all Science bore, 
In varied province and in ample store. 
All that could please the Fancy, and delight 
The Taste, collected was before the sight ; 
While to the sterner Judgment, with the rest, 
The solid and the useful were addressed. 
Bewilder'd at the scene he turn'd, and near 
Beheld his well-reniember'd Teacher there. 



XIV. 

Fraternal greeting o'er, the Teacher spoke, 
And with these words the perfect silence broke 

" Brother ! since last we parted, I have heard 

Of thy continual labor kindly word : 

The savor of thy charities is giv'n 

On wings of Fame to ev'ry wind of Heav'n, 

And far as our vast brotherhood extends 

E'en now upon its course of Mercy wends. 

Brother! I give thee joy ; thou hast done well, 

Thy deeds to future ages we will tell ; 

In their increasing usefulness we share, 

And nothing may their blessedness impair. 

For, such is Mercy's quality, a deed 

Done in her name, no hindrance may impede, 

But, growing brighter, brighter still will be 



THE VISION OF ACHMED. 231 

Throughout the ages of Eternity. 

Thus in our love for others we are blest, 

As thou, from thy experience, can attest, 

And Wisdom's self hath taught us to believe 

More blessed 'tis to give than to receive. 

But, as of flesh alone man is not made, 

His mind moreover doth require some aid. 

Like the rough marble from the quarry brought, 

That must be by the workman's chisel wrought, 

And polished to a perfect square and face, 

Ere it is fitted to its proper place, — 

So must the mind by education be 

Prepar'd for its immortal destiny. 

Be ours the task its slumb'ring pow'rs to stir, 

And on its dormant seeds new life confer. 

See, here the Lib'ral Arts thy view invite, 

And Science spreads her fruits before thy sight — 

Endeavor their true principles t' acquire, 

And then apply to raise man's mind the higher. 

If obstacles oppose, stop not to count, 

But firmly meet them singly, and surmount. 

The elements of Nature, see, are thine 

Unto thy use to conquer and combine. 

When thou hast brought their pith within thy reach, 

Unto thy fellow-man the secret teach. 

Thus will thy mem'ry live when thou art gone, 

And our Great Father's will on earth be done. 



232 THE VISION OF ACHMED. 

The streams, whose waters in their channel sleep, 

Unmov'd, will one unvarying current keep, 

But, rais'd by Art, on man's neces'ties wait, 

Arts to increase, or fields to irrigate ; 

And other elements, besides, as well, 

Unto our benefit we may compel. 

But the invention that doth thus succeed 

To model Nature to man's earthly need, 

In the same ratio doth enrich the mind ; 

And here the worth of Charity we find 

That 'tis not to the physical confin'd, 

But, ranging with large sense, includes the whole, 

Man's threefold nature — body, mind and soul. 

'Twas necessary first to give thy care 

Unto the wants of flesh as these appear : 

Destroy the body's comfort, and the mind 

For its improvement little room may find. 

This Trinity of man's so darkly bound 

With the same chain, no sev'rance may be found, 

But ever as disturbing force reveals 

Weakness in one, the other also feels. 

Here is new field, my Brother, for thy zeal ; 

Turn not away from its acute appeal. 

Go ! seek thy fellow, and instruct his mind, 

And in that duty higher pleasure find ; 

And may our Father from His Temple send 

Aid to thy zeal — may strength from Heaven descend, 



THE VISION OF ACHMED. 233 

Until, the number of thy days being told, 
Thou enter into His elected fold." 

xv. 
Once more the loud response came full and free, 
From thousand tongues — " Amen ! so mote it be." 

Again the phantasm faded from his sight, 
And Achmed woke in the fast-waning Night. 
But, taught again, he felt a wiser man, 
More reconciled to Heav'n's mysterious plan, 
And, touched with a keen sense of new delight, 
He, reassur'd, walked thence in greater Light. 

xvi. 
Again Time pass'd : Achmed his pow'rs applied, 
And ev'ry secret haunt of Nature tried ; 
The hidden springs of Government explored, 
And render'd plain what ages had obscured. 
Still, as lost principles were brought to light, 
And traced with skilful ken their latent might, 
He turn'd their agencies to useful end, 
And gave to man his knowledge, as their friend. 
Remedial agents found, since buried long, 
Man's life to soothe, to cheer, and to prolong. 
Fields fertile wav'd, where barren waste and moor 
Spread their blank surface to the eye before, 



234 THE VISION OP ACHMED. 

And Arts neglected, or unknown, improv'd 

The habitations of the race he lov'd. 

His credit spread in country and in town, 

And all conspir'd to add to his renown. 

Mankind endors'd his skill, and Achmed's name 

Was passport ample unto others' fame. 

By his example taught, they also strove 

To cultivate their pow'rs, their minds improve ; 

And, happy in the thought of higher weal, 

Achmed began a fresh content to feel, 

Aided in every effort meant to bless, 

And labor'd ardently for its success. 

XVII. 

At length, again — ah, me, how passing strange! 

Pass'd o'er his spirit yet another change ; 

His face the hue of cheerfulness forsook, 

And he in wonted care no pleasure took. 

Envy its poison in his cup instill'd, 

And foul Detraction with its slime had fill'd 

His path. Where blessings only should have met, 

Sly words of defamation serv'd to fret. 

Men, led by tricky arts he neither knew, 

Nor yet would practise, cold and distant grew ; 

And, while a debt of gratitude they ow'd, 

With thorns the pathway of his life they strow'd. 



THE VISION OF ACHMED. 235 

Oppress'd with a deep sense of hopelessness, 
Careworn, heart-sick, weigh'd down with his distress, 
Achmed abandoned all his former care, 
And gave up ev'rything unto despair. 

XVIII. 

In such a mood, again the stream he sought, 

Where twice the Sage such strange relief had brought ; 

And, musing near the spot so mark'd before, 

The same mysterious presence came once more. 

A shade of pensive melancholy stole 

(The outward token of a feeling soul) 

O'er his calm face. With measured words and slow, 

He then began : 

" My Son ! the signs of woe, 
Greater than all thou yet hast felt, I see 
Are on thy person, and I mourn with thee. 
Say what new sorrow now disturbs thy heart, 
And let me of thy burthen bear a part.' 7 

" Oh, Father ! Earth no more," Achmed replied, 
" Holds living thing in which I may confide. 
All — all are false, and tempt my heart in vain. 
Father ! I would not longer here remain — 
Canst thou not show the path the blest have trod, 
A shorter way to Truth, to Love, to God ? " 



236 THE VISION OP ACHMED 

Sad was the look, the tone, in which replied 
The pitying Sage, and as he spake he sigh'd : 

" My Son ! the way is one no art may make 
Shorter or smoother, tho' for monarchs' sake. 
To the Temple once more we will repair, 
And learn what lesson may be gather'd there." 

XIX. 

Once more they went — once more the Temple stood 

Full in their pathway, and their entrance woo'd. 

Enter'd the outer Court, as twice before, 

And pass'd again within the inner door, 

They came unto the Sanctuary, where 

They only enter who do well prepare. 

From between wings of Cherubim there beam'd 

A light that thro' the Sanctuary stream'd, 

And fell on Achmed, glorious, and subdued 

His spirit into calm, expectant mood, 

While words of melancholy meaning, too, 

A solemn air of awe o'er all there threw. 

While yet he stood in hopeful, anxious maze, 

The Teacher thus address'd him with the tend'rest gaze 

" And thou hast met the benefactor's fate, 
And reap'd for all thy love men's bitter hate ! 
Brother ! I fain would weep — yet not for thee, 
But such ingratitude in man to see. 



THE VISION OF ACHMED. 237 

Forgive them, Brother ! as they do not know 

Whither their own insensate actions go. 

To them the fruits of their own deeds belong, 

And theirs the penalty for doing wrong. 

For thee, the lesson, haply, is designed 

To weed all selfishness from out thy mind, 

And teach, in all thy works thou shouldst intend 

Our Father's glory as their only end. 

That men should hate thee, marvel not ; our life 

Is not as theirs, nor mix we in their strife. 

But in our love unto our brethren bound, 

We know in this a higher life is found : 

And as One died for us, so we should give 

Our life if need be that they too may live. 

What if men hate ? If our own hearts approve, 

We have assurance of our Father's love. 

But he who hates his brother, him hath slain, 

And for our Father's love he looks in vain. 

Thou hast work'd bravely in the past, and made 

Unto thyself a name that will not fade ; 

But know, man's Trinity is not complete 

Until the Soul with mind and body meet 

In such high cultivation, that all may 

In one the fairest excellence display. 

Yet, who shall train the Soul ? Ah, Brother ! here 

Our wisdom fails — the task is too severe. 

Each for himself the solemn duty must 



238 THE VISION OF ACHMED. 

Attempt, and shake off, as lie can, Earth's dust. 

But with our Father still depends success, 

And who will prosper truly He must bless. 

His will it is, that every soul be tried, 

And from the dross of Self be purified, 

Ere it can hope with Him to dwell on high, 

And swell His praises in our native sky. 

? Tis His decree, that all who would regain 

His love, must pass thro' suff'ring and thro' pain. 

Perfect thro' suffering we must become, 

Ere we may reach our loving Father's home ; 

And when, thro' suff'ring perfected at last, 

We are prepar'd to be to Heav'n then pass'd, 

Our pathway lies (from this no arm may save) 

Straightly, my Brother ! thro' the gloomy grave. 

Yet, do not unto Fear thy soul resign, 

E'en thro' the tomb His rod and staff are thine : 

The shadow of Death's valley will appear 

Less dark to thee, by them supported there. 

Beyond — see what enrapturing joys invite ! 

What glories rise before the ravish'd sight ! 

There, brethren in unclouded glory stand, 

Triumphant, an indissoluble band. 

There Life begins — there, all sufferings cease, 

And ages fleet on in Eternal Peace. 

Ere thou at such fruition canst arrive, 

Much must thou suffer, Brother ! much must strive. 



THE VISION OF ACHMBD. 239 

'Gainst ev'ry Sin a daily warfare wage, 
And 'gainst all Vice with Fortitude engage. 
Thro' all the perils that thy steps attend, 
Thy soul unto His care I now commend ; 
And do thou, too, with earnest, trusting Pray'r, 
Cease not, in time of need, t' implore His care. 
Farewell, my Brother ! guide and friend thou'st had 
Thus far, thro' all the progress thou hast made, 
But save by Pray'r, and God our Father save, 
None may attend thee thro' the gloomy grave." 

xx. 
He said — and suddenly a shadow fell 
On all around — and Achmed could not tell 
Ingress or egress, whither either lay, 
But still in darkness strove to grope his way. 
But as he groped, a ruffian hand assail'd 
His life, and in th' attempt had nigh prevail'd. 
Again he groped — again th' attempt was made, 
And ruffian hands upon his life were laid. 
He turn'd and fled — the ruffian still pursued, 
And in his blood, at length, his hands imbrued. 
He sank— he fell — he died— and in the grave 
Was laid of Achmed all that Earth could have. 

XXI. 

Days pass'd — when, one auspicious morn, there came 



240 THE VISION OF ACHMED. 

Footsteps unto his burial-place — his name 
Was call'd, and, Rais'd from out the clammy tomb, 
His life he was permitted to resume ; 
And, august Presence whisper'd in his ear 
Grave words, it thrill'd his very soul to hear, 
And which, he felt, did more than all repay 
The toils and perils of that darksome way. 
'Twas Truth— Eternal Truth, attain' d at last, 
Full compensation for all suffering past. 



XXII. 

Achmed essay'd to speak, fill'd with the theme, 
When he awoke, and lo ! 7 twas all a dream : 
The Sage — the Temple — Teacher — all had been 
Phantasmagoria of his heated brain. 
But, as o'er all its incidents he ran, 
He felt a wiser and a better man ; 
Hail'd in the picture lessons for his youth, 
The colors pencill'd by the hand of Truth, 
And thence resolv'd to mould his life anew, 
And in his fellow's good our Father's love pursue ; 
Contented now his lot thenceforth to fill, 
And do and suffer all things at His Holy Will. 
* * * ****** 

He rose, and left the stream — far spent the Night- 
And, heart-reliev'd, walked forth in perfect Light. 



